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I would suggest that folks take a look at the article I circulated a  
fews days back and that Martin followed up with a no subscription  
reference.  It gets to the heart of human nature and social  
constructs, learning is a layer on top of these basic constructs.  
There are suggestions in the literature indicating that people do  
make adjustments for first hand observation, i.e. the path of an  
object out of a curving tube be it solid or liquid.  But people  
generally tend to believe the accepted and condoned version reality  
whether it's fact or fiction, and I would add particularly if it has  
little effect on their immediate existence, e.g. disease, germs and  
health.  Common wisdom is something like, people tend get exercised  
and attentive about dangers of little relevance if the consequences  
are large, or disinterested in stuff that generally doesn't matter to  
their daily lives, e.g., global warming, evolution, and this is  
particularly true if there's no social/cultural support, or  
compelling need for action.  Museums and exhibits can support and  
foster knowledge and enlightenment, but they ain't  going to  
revolutionize.  So change at the top and beckons of light are what's  
needed.  The Creation Museum is a pathetic example of the power of  
ignorance––one of many.

On May 29, 2007, at 3:03 PM, Diana Issidorides wrote:

> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related  
> institutions.
> ********************************************************************** 
> *******
>
> While agreeing with the comments of both Nina Simon and Alan  
> Friedman on storytelling and the need for our institutions to  
> promote fascinating narratives on evolution, I can't help but feel  
> this is fighting the symptoms instead of  the disease.  As long as  
> creationism is sanctioned by  the formal educational system and  
> spoon-fed to children at school, attempts  to counterbalance this  
> brainwashing via our exhibitions are but a drop in the ocean,  
> however commendable. Children taught from a young age to see the  
> world through the eyes of creationism will not see the light  
> because they visited our exhibition, project, or programme on  
> evolution. Our energy must primarily be aimed at  the root of the  
> problem: lobbying both congress and senate to stop endorsing  
> creationism as an alternative to the teaching of evolution in schools.
>
> Diana Issidorides
>
> – –
> Dr. Diana C. Issidorides
> Senior Scientist & Exhibition Developer
> Science Center NEMO
> P.O. Box 421
> 1000 AK Amsterdam
> The Netherlands
> T: +31205313201
> [log in to unmask] / [log in to unmask]
> www.e-nemo.nl
>
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Charles Carlson
Director of Life Sciences
exploratorium
3601 Lyon St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
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Tel:   415-561-0319
Fax:  415-561-0370



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Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

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