Content-Transfer-Encoding: |
7bit |
Sender: |
|
Subject: |
|
From: |
|
Date: |
Thu, 14 Apr 2005 09:58:08 EDT |
Content-Type: |
text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" |
MIME-Version: |
1.0 |
Reply-To: |
|
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Of course you're absolutely right. Thanks for the clear thinking!!
I've often had that same thought regarding magnetism and electricity, which
are generally taught to VERY young children. Look, kids! iron filings are
attracted to this magnet, isn't that cool? HOW does it happen? Well, there are
these teeny, tiny things called electrons... but WHY do they line up like
that? Well...
when my five year old asks questions like "I know plants grow from seeds.
But why do they grow?" I often find myself debating between a "science"
response and a "theological" response. Both, I think, have relevance!
I like to throw in a distinction: There's WHY and there's HOW. The theory of
natural selection explains how, but so far as I can tell doesn't get into why.
On the other hand, intelligent design looks to explain why, but is thin on
how. It's been my experience that most "why" questions in science are actually
"how" questions, because their answers are explained through phenomena or fall
back on the most basic of assumptions. (e.g., "Why does the piece of metal
stick to the nails with the wire wrapped aound it?" is explained by "how" an
electromagnet works. Does anybody really know why? Laws of physics may describe
it, but they don't assign purpose.)
Lisa Jo Rudy, Writer/Consultant
625 Chelten Hills Drive
Elkins Park, PA 19027
http://www.lisarudy.com/
215-635-9735
***********************************************************************
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]
|
|
|