Re: Nature of Science (NOS)

[Larry Cartwright <exit60@CABLESPEED.COM>]

Joseph Bellina wrote:
> You answer concerns me because it is little like the parents who
> think that by exposing their children to a number of different
> religions they give them the opportunity to chose for themselves,
> when what might well happen is the children never develop a
> framework for comparison.

Your answer concerns me because it is a little like the parents who
think that by exposing their children to a narrow-minded fundamentalist
hellfire-and-damnation religious upbringing they give them a firm
foundation for healthy future development, when what happens is they are
headed for either bigotry or therapy.

Now honestly, Joe, I don't believe you are proposing to turn children
into bigots; and I hope you don't believe that I am proposing to leave
them without any framework at all.

> I just think giving children a framework that helps them think
> reasonable and logically is a good beginning point, and the primordial
> notions underlying the conventional SM may be a good place to start.

I think one should pass along to children things which one *truly
believes in*.  If I believed that "THE SM" was a good approach to
logical thinking, I would certainly pass it along.  I don't happen to
feel that way about its step-by-step dogmatism.  That is not to say
there aren't *some* concepts in "THE SM" worth passing along.  Like
asking useful questions, taking time to explore all the possible answers
you can think of, and using observation and experimentation as the
ultimate tests of reality.

Best wishes,

Larry

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Cartwright   <exit60@cablespeed.com>
Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
Charlotte MI 48813 USA
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~