Re: percent success

["Richard W. Tarara" <rtarara@saintmarys.edu>]

----------
> From: Donald E. Simanek <dsimanek@eagle.lhup.edu>
> Let me play the Devil's advocate here (again!). Isn't it somewhat
arrogant
> of us to assume that *everyone* needs to know *something* about *our*
> academic field? Sure, those who become physicists do, and those who
become
> doctors are expected to have some physics (but the amount they actually
> learn and actually use could fit in a thimble with space left over for an
> administrator's brain. Geologists and astrophysicists need to know a bit
> of physics, depending on their specialization.

I agree that very little of the general population NEEDS or can profit from
a typical physics course as taught to physics, engineering, and other
science majors.  Part of this thread is the question as to whether the
above groups profit from such courses--but that's not your topic.

> Let's put this in perspective. Let's consider another field which is in
> similar straits. Philosophy. Probably less than 2% of college students
> become philosophers (I'm guessing, obviously). It is a course most
> students fear, if it is required. Why, it isn't even *offered* in high
> school. I'm sure professional philosophers consider it important. Most
> people will even admit that it has *some* importance in everyone's lives.
> They even admit that it's good that in our society a small number of
> people choose to specialize in it, just as they admit we need some pure
> (not applied) mathematicians. But are philosophers pushing to get more
> people to take philosophy? Are they forming study groups and commissions
> to figure out how to increase philosophy literacy in the general
> population?  Are there any philosophy workshops, philosophy museums, or
> philosophy outreach programs? Is any media pointing to the 'philosophy
> gap' between us and other countries? Are there any tests of philosophy
> competence administered to school students in various countries. Are
there
> watered down and dummied down textbooks in philosophy suitable for high
> school students? No. 

However, as taxpayers they aren't asked to fund billions of dollars of
philosophy projects.  The fact is, that the 'person on the street' has a
fairly big stake in the 'science and technology' game, but is for the most
part ignorant of even the basics of what science and technology IS and
DOES.

> Fact it. Physics as practiced by physicists simply requires too much
time,
> prerequisite mathematics and dedication for non-physicists to master. Its
> pleasures are cerebral, not visceral, so it's unlikely to appeal to most
> people in our egocentric culture, where folks want immediate 'feel-good'
> rewards without much brain-strain. We can extract out the simpler parts
of
> physics, remove the math and make it qualitative--and we can add some
> entertainment, field trips to amusement parks and egg-drop contests. But
> by then it isn't physics any more, but something like 'physics
> appreciation' (comparable to music and art appreciation courses), or
> applied technology.


I have no problems with 'physics appreciation' and have been suggesting
that there are several different types of courses that each best serves a
different clientele.  Maybe the traditional problem solving course (with
some modifications) IS best for the science majors, and highly
interactive/constructive courses best for education students, philosophy of
science or history of science best for many liberal arts college students,
and Science and Technology courses best for most others.  The level of
rigor, of depth or breadth, the amount of math, etc. is highly variable
amongst these courses.


So, basically--I agree.


> Send the flames. It's cold in my office this morning.
>
> 	-- Donald
Rick

*****************************************************
Richard W. Tarara                  
Department of Chemistry & Physics      
Saint Mary's College                    
Notre Dame, IN 46556 
219-284-4664 
rtarara@saintmarys.edu  
                  
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http://www-hpcc.astro.washington.edu/mirrors/tarara/  
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