ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

Of the titles suggested so far, personally, I like "Evolution is
Science".  It's very straightforward and powerful, and it's a great
microcosm of the whole statement.    

To me, "The Science of Evolution" doesn't make as strong a statement.
"The Science of..." is a phrase that often gets finished with things
that aren't really science:  The Science of the Circus, The Science of
Star Trek, The Science of Baseball, The Science of Chocolate, etc. While
I understand that all of these topics can be explored through the lens
of science, I think we're trying to say something more profound when it
comes to evolution.

I've taken a stab at editing Kodi's wonderful statement down to under
200 words.  I've had to sacrifice quite a bit, as you could imagine.
One of the most painful sacrifices was the comparison to Copernicus. I
know that he's a useful poster child for "ideas that were once heresy",
but ultimately, I didn't want to wait a paragraph to get to Darwin. 

Kodi mused that perhaps visitors would be willing to read a long panel
if it was a topic of concern to them.  I agree with that thought, but I
still think it's worth trying to shorten this to a more
readable-while-standing-up length if we can.

Here's my attempt:

<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Evolution is Science

Science is about testing ideas. In fact, if there's no way to test an
idea's validity, that idea can't be considered science. Scientists have
tested Darwin's idea about evolution by using it to predict and explain
phenomena from geology to microbiology. For example, evolution explains
why antibiotics stop working after a period of time and helps us make
new strategies for future medications. The more things Darwin's idea
could explain and predict, the stronger the idea became.  Eventually,
the idea became a theory - the very highest achievement of any idea in
science. 

If Darwin's theory had failed in a prediction or explanation, even once,
scientists would have had to revise or even discard the theory.  But the
idea has held strong throughout decades of rigorous testing. The Theory
of Evolution has become the unifying theory of biology. 

As a science center, we respect the most basic tenets of science. We
must keep an open mind while we test our world, then let those tests
teach us what they will. Evolutionary theory continues to teach us new
things every day.  Evolution IS science.

<><><><><><><><><><><><>

___
Peggy Monahan
Manager of Exhibit Design and Development
Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
180 Woz Way
San Jose, CA 95110
408-298-5437 x285


-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kodi Jeffery
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 1:19 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: evolution statement


ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
institutions.
************************************************************************
*****

I like it, Robin. And I think it would get the attention of visitors. 
I couldn't think of a good title when I wrote my statement -- but I 
knew someone out there would be able to. :-)

Any other ideas? As Clifford said, the title is of utmost importance.

Kodi

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology 
>Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and 
>related institutions.
>***********************************************************************
******
>
>How about "The Science of Evolution"?
>
>Robin Frisch
>MindSplash
>
>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology 
>>Centers
>>  Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>>institutions.
>> 
>>**********************************************************************
>>*******
>>
>>  Great job, Jeffrey.    The deadlines I imposed was pretty arbitrary,
so
>>  none of us should sweat it in the short haul.  In the long haul we
need
>>  to be clear to our public.   It's still worth doing a second round,
if
>>  anyone has the energy and the writing skills, to take the best of
the
>>  material presented so far and make an even better version.
Posting
>>  such a statement- level headed, TRUTHFUL, and informative is such an

>> easy way for all science centers to deal with misconceptions of 
>> science  and evolution without losing visitors that I suggest to 
>> everyone that  this is a path of least resistance.  Make a good 
>> looking copy, put it  on a kiosk, (no budget? Put it on a music 
>> stand!) and leave it in one  of your halls even by itself.
>>
>>  What should the title be?  Evolution is Science?  Science and 
>> Evolution?
>>
>>  The title is important.
>>
>>  Clifford
>>
>>
>>  On Apr 9, 2005, at 7:58 PM, Kodi Jeffery wrote:
>>
>>>  ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology  
>>> Centers  Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and 
>>> related  institutions.
>>>
***********************************************************************
>>>  ******
>>>
>>>  I know I'm past the "official due date" for science centers'  
>>> statements regarding evolution, but I decided it was worth offering 
>>> my  suggestion, regardless. It's longer than I'd like (373 words), 
>>> but I'm  having trouble finding a place to shorten it -- unless it 
>>> was to cut  one or both of the last two (very short) paragraphs. I 
>>> think that  opinions might differ as to whether to keep them, so I'm

>>> offering the  whole thing, here. I'd love to hear suggestions on 
>>> ways to better it  and hope people find it useful. (I admit to 
>>> wondering whether visitors  might be willing to read a longer piece 
>>> of text if it were regarding a  topic of concern to them -- and I 
>>> think we'd all agree that evolution  is a topic of concern to many 
>>> of our visitors).
>>>
>>>  Kodi Jeffery, Ph.D
>>>  Informal Science Educator
>>>  Currently seeking employment
>>>
>>>  Science is about testing ideas. In fact, if there's no way to test 
>>> an  idea's validity, that idea can't be considered science. Some 
>>> ideas can  be tested directly, such as whether a certain medicine 
>>> can destroy  cancer cells. Others can't be controlled the same way, 
>>> but as long as  there are ways to apply discriminating testing, the 
>>> ideas can still be  scientific. Copernicus' idea of a sun-centered 
>>> solar system was heresy  among people who considered Earth the 
>>> center of the universe. But  despite being unable to control the 
>>> planets for tests, scientists  could still make predictions based on

>>> this idea. They could predict  eclipses and explain phases of the 
>>> moon and intricate planetary  motions. And the more people could 
>>> explain and predict, the stronger  this idea became. Eventually, it 
>>> became a theory, in the proper sense  of the word: the very highest 
>>> "achievement" of any idea in science.
>>>
>>>  A valid theory explains huge amounts of data; it is then used to 
>>> make  further predictions and design new tests. The more we study 
>>> and learn,
>  >> the better we can refine and validate the theory. Evolutionary 
> theory
>>>  has been used to synthesize data from geology to microbiology. It 
>>> has  synthesized huge amounts of widely disparate data, and 
>>> scientists use  it to make seemingly endless predictions and plans. 
>>> For example,  evolution helps us understand why antibiotics stop 
>>> working after a  period of time and helps us plan new strategies for

>>> future  medications. If this theory had failed in a prediction or 
>>> explanation,  even once, scientists would have had to revise or even

>>> discard the  theory. But the idea has held strong, despite decades 
>>> of rigorous  testing, so much so that it has become the unifying 
>>> theory of biology.  Without it, nothing makes sense.
>>>
>>>  Contrary to popular conceptions, science takes no stand on 
>>> religion.  People once believed a sun-centered solar system 
>>> conflicted with their  religious beliefs, but they eventually 
>>> realized that science was  merely explaining the natural processes 
>>> that make our world work.
>>>
>>>  As a science center, we respect the most basic tenets of science,  
>>> namely that we must keep an open mind while we test our world, then

>>> let those tests teach us what they will. Evolutionary theory 
>>> continues  to teach us new things every day.
>  >>

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at
http://www.astc.org. To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L
list, send the message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]

***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]