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Date: | Thu, 14 Apr 2005 06:13:27 -0400 |
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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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I'm just combining Lisa's and Eric's e-mails of last night, because
they dovetail so well together.
Clifford
On Apr 13, 2005, at 7:58 PM, Lisa Jo Rudy wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> ***********************************************************************
> ******
>
> With all the conversation going on about evolution and the
> importance/meaning of science, I'd be interested in museum
> professionals' take on the questions --
>
> should science centers take moral positions on issues in which they
> are involved? If so, what should those moral positions be? Should
> all ASTC institutions share the same moral positions?
>
I don't think anyone is suggesting that we condemn people who don't
believe that natural selection and related theories explain biological
change over time, or to establish a moral hierarchy among believers in
various world views.
> For example -- do ASTC institutions have a moral obligation to take a
> stand on evolution? Or should they simply clarify the difference
> between evolutionary theory as a scientific concept and creationism as
> a religious concept)?
I think it is both fair and maybe necessary to point out the power of
the scientific explanation and its differences from religious
explanations.
> Should ASTC institutions take an ethical stand on topics like
> cloning, global warming, etc. -- or is their purpose to engage
> visitors in non-judgemental exploration of scientific topics, and to
> help visitors better understand the scientific method without
> reference to ethics one way or another?
>
I think the question of environmentalism is kind of a done deal, every
informal or formal educational institution seems to accept that human
caused environmental degradation is both a fact and something that
should be minimized or reversed if possible.
Clifford again- Our biological world is in trouble. On this issue,
the degradation of the resources that humans need to live quality
lives, that Eric refers to immediately above, Science centers have a
moral and ethical duty to try and actively deal with it.
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