ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
If I'm honest, I'd have to say I don't really know how old the earth is, either. I can take the word of people I trust, and I can say I think the earth is 4.5 billion years old, but I'm taking the word of various text books and teachers, and the arguments they make. I don't have any first-hand knowledge about this, not like the knowledge I have about how electricity behaves or how light behaves.
On some level my inkling that the earth is 4.5 billion years old is not so different from a biblical or other faith-based understanding of the age of the earth. I think there are a lot I take on faith, that I haven't seen for myself first-hand, that I sometimes take as fact. The trick for me is remembering the difference; that I've seen for myself that under certain conditions light travels in a straight line, on the other hand being able to conceptualize 4.5 billion years is a little outside of my realm of experience.
Mr. Rubio was trying to walk a political tightrope, but on a certain level I think I'm right there with him.
Thanks,
- Len
-----Original Message-----
From: Informal Science Education Network [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Martin Weiss
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2012 7:43 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ISEN-ASTC-L] Why understanding science is important even for understanding the economy
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
I wonder if we and schools are compartmentalizing science so that the pubic and our students do not understand how fundamental understanding science is to ALL aspects of our lives and society?
Yesterday, or the day before, there was an interesting post on Why Evolution is True (
http://whyevolutionistrue.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/marco-rubio-not-a-scientist/)
about a statement that Marco Rubio, who is considered by some a viable presidential candidate, made in an interview. He was talking about the economy and went on to say:
*I'm not a scientist, man. I can tell you what recorded history says, I can tell you what the Bible says, but I think that's a dispute amongst theologians and I think it has nothing to do with the gross domestic product or economic growth of the United States. I think the age of the universe has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow. I'm not a scientist. I don't think I'm qualified to answer a question like that. At the end of the day, I think there are multiple theories out there on how the universe was created and I think this is a country where people should have the opportunity to teach them all. I think parents should be able to teach their kids what their faith says, what science says. Whether the Earth was created in 7 days, or 7 actual eras, I'm not sure we'll ever be able to answer that. It's one of the great mysteries.*
This is interesting denial of the intrinsic role science plays in our "lives" and probably not unusual given some of the statements about science that many of our congress people have uttered; even those who sit on the congressional "science committees". Two good "money quotes" about this are:
*When Rubio says that the question of the Earth's age "has zero to do with how our economy is going to grow", he's dead wrong. For one thing, science and technology education has a lot to do with our future productivity - and how are you going to have effective science education if schools have to give equal time to the views of fundamentalist Christians?* Paul Krugman, NYTimes
and
*The bottom line is that this economy, at its root, is built on a web of scientific knowledge from physics to chemistry to biology. It's impossible to just cherry pick out parts we don't like. If the Earth is 9,000 years old, then virtually the entire construct of modern science is simply wrong.
Not only that, most of the technology that we rely on most likely wouldn't work - as they're dependent on science that operates on the same physical laws that demonstrate the age of the universe.* Alex Knapp<http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2012/11/19/why-marco-rubio-needs-to-know-that-the-earth-is-billions-of-years-old/>
at
Forbes, "Why Marco Rubio Needs To Know That The Earth Is Billions Of Years Old".
Martin
--
-----------------------------------------
Martin Weiss, PhD
Senior Scientist
New York Hall of Science
mweiss at nyscience.org
cell 347-460-1858
desk 718 595 9156
--
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:
This message is intended solely for the addressee(s) in the first instance and may contain confidential information. Please do not forward this email without the consent of the sender.
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
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]
*************************************************************************************
This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential and privileged information. It has been scanned for viruses. If you are not the intended recipient, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail, delete this e-mail and destroy any copies. **************************************************************************************
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
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]
|
