ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
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Ok, so how about a simple, "we represents and interpret currently 
held scientific thinking."
Beryl

>ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
>Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
>*****************************************************************************
>
>
>In response to Clifford, who in articulated our frustration, has exposed 
>some of our underlying shaky premises:
>
>There is  a big difference between science and religion: no one gets to 
>choose  which science they believe in.  Science is a rigorous  process.  
>We can choose a theory to put forth, but the theory  that fits the facts 
>the best is the present science we must all  follow.   There is no 
>wiggle room.  
>
>
>I'd like to think this, too, but I've seen too much evidence to the 
>contrary.
>
>Many of us choose which parts to ignore, focusing only on what is directly 
>relevant to our work or lives, leaving other parts unexplored or in storage
>with  a bunch of dogma from a variety of sources. Growing up in the Midwest, I
>met  many farmers and some ag researchers who knew genetics, selection, 
>hybridization, the lineage of cattle and horses and peaches and 
>blueberries;  they
>understood pathogen vectors and knew to anticipate potential effects of 
>chemical exposure among field researchers and farm workers -- but 
>they  still did'nt
>accept human evolution. It didn't directly affect their lives or  their
>practice. Likewise, I have spoken with physicians, pharmaceutical 
>researchers and
>bioengineers who know and work with parts of what most of us  consider a
>unified theory of evolution, without accepting other parts of it. I  may not
>understand how they are able to do that, but that's my problem. I 
>also  don't think
>most of them chose the religious beliefs to which they subscribe.
>
>Yes, academic institutions are under attack from those who wish to censor 
>ideas that do not conform to their beliefs. But we don't do 
>ourselves any favors
>  by rising to the bait in confrontations designed to undermine our
>credibility --  not our scientific credibility, but as institutional 
>citizens that
>respect the  rest of society's institutions. We also have to get 
>over the idea that
>you can't  be scientifically literate or practice science unless you accept
>the whole  package (I know it's a struggle to accept this, but I see the
>evidence). If we  are as smart as we think we are, we certainly can develop
>strategies that  generate a demand for what have to offer, to which 
>we can respond
>with what we  do best.
>
>As always yours,
>
>Charlie
>
>Charles Stout
>Media Arts Manager
>Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
>Ann Arbor, MI
>
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-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director of Exhibitions and Public Programs
MIT Museum
265 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA  02139
Tel: 617-452-2111
Fax: 617-253-8994
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"A great place to explore ideas, invention, and innovation: 
http://web.mit.edu/museum"

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More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
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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
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