ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
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. I think it is both fair and maybe necessary to
point out the power of the scientific explanation and its differences
from religious explanations.
On a related topic, a colleague of mine, a biologist, surveyed teachers
and students to see the extent to which they distinguish between
"evolution" which he calls a phenomenon, and "natural selection" which
he calls a theory. I think that is the terminology he uses, and it is
an interesting distinction for me. I think it is going to be published
in a peer reviewed journal soon, so I'm not sure if I can share the
paper, but I will ask him if anyone is interested.
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.
Eric Siegel
Executive VP
Programs and Planning
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th Street
Queens, NY 11368
esiegel at nyscience dot org
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?
>
> 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)? 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?
>
> (just keeping the conversation lively!!)
>
> ***********************************************************************
> 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
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>
***********************************************************************
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
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