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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It seems to me that this discussion resurfaces annually (with good 
reason).  People may want to check the archives to see some VERY lively 
debates and discussions that have occurred in the past on the listserve!
Beryl

MArtin Weiss 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 suggest that a root cause is the extreme polarization of public 
> debate.  This seems to have increased dramatically, without pointing 
> any fingers or naming names, in newspapers, the blogosphere, but 
> probably more influentially and polarizing on, television. Every 
> program, however thoughtful has to have the divergent opinion which 
> even in a respectful way is polarizing. If we can somehow tone down 
> the public debate in the body politic of not only of issues like 
> global warming, stem cell research, evidence for evolution, etc, etc. 
> This "screaming" has to have an effect on children and I suspect leads 
> to the difficulties Thomas Martin refers to in his article.
>
>
> Martin
>
>
>>
>>
>>> Opinion
>>> Your beliefs vs. the facts By Thomas W. Martin
>>> Thu Jan 3, 3:00 AM ET
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Tempe, Ariz. - Twenty years ago, as a college freshman, I knew
>>> precisely what it meant to be scientifically literate. In fact, I held
>>> an objective measure in the palm of my hand, courtesy of E.D. Hirsch.
>>> His book, "Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know," was
>>> a bestselling paperback, and conveniently listed thousands of names,
>>> terms, and phrases with which every educated person - he informed us -
>>> should be familiar. . . . . .
>>>
>

-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director
Tsongas Industrial History Center
Boott Cotton Mills
115 John Street
Lowell, MA 01854
(978) 970-5081 (t)
(978) 970-5085 (f)
[log in to unmask]
www.uml.edu/tsongas

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