Re: Intro Physics Sequence

[Joseph Bellina <jbellina@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

I guess I would worry about teaching physics in the context of
engineering.  There is the general philosophical issue of what one does
when one teachs and learns physics.  If you do it to solve a problem and
get a number...then I suppose you are correct.  But if you do it to
understand a way of thinking about the world and how objects interact
with each other, then I think the engineering context is not the
place.  I am, as some of you know, inclined to the latter.

cheers,

joe

On Tue, 7 Nov
2000, Joel Rauber wrote:

> > I agree with Jack -- even more radically I would guess:
> >
> > 1) Mathematicians do not consider The Calculus to be a real
> > math course yet
> > they try to guard it as their domain -- only the pixies know why.
> > <g>  Ideally Calculus should be taught in a Physics Class. IE "tools"
> > should be taught in an ambient where the tools are used.
>
> Which is why physics should be taught just-in-time in the engineering
> courses!!!  Thus eliminating introductory physics from the curriculum. (or
> so it is argued by many)
>
> Joel Rauber
> Joel_Rauber@sdstate.edu