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Re: [Phys-l] Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay "AGAINST PHILOSOPHY" (was "References for Hermeneutics of Physics")

I am afraid that Richard Hake has no idea about hermeneutics. Although the subject originated in bible study, it has come a long way since then. The modern theory of hermeneutics developed by Gadamer (Gadamer H-G (1976[1966]) Philosophical hermeneutics. University of California Press, Berkeley, Gadamer H-G (1994) Truth and method. Continuum, New York) based upon notions put forth by his teacher Heidegger. Gadamer argued that it is through language that the world is opened up for us. Weinberg's point and Gale's and Wittgenstein's have nothing to do with science educational research. Indeed Gadamer would agree with them. He felt that hemeneutics actually provided a demarcation between the human sciences (psychology, social sciences and education). The physicist who wrote the most on Hermeneutics and science education is Martin Eger (deceased)
I reprinted one of his articles in my book

Successful Science and Engineering Teaching: Theoretical and Learning Perspectives” Calvin S. Kalman, published by Springer (2008).

All of his articles are reprinted in a book

Science, Understanding, and Justice: The Philosophical Essays of Martin Eger [Paperback]

Martin Eger (Author), Abner Shimony (Editor)
• Publisher: Open Court (September 15, 2006)
• ISBN-10: 0812694619
• ISBN-13: 978-0812694611

Eger argued that hermeneutics was an ideal tool in science education. Indeed I have made use of hermeneutics as particularly described in two articles;

The Need to Emphasize Epistemology in Teaching and Research
Calvin S. Kalman
Science & Education. 18, 325- 348, 2009.
Enhancing Students' Understanding Of Concepts By Getting Students to
Approach Text in The Manner of a Hermeneutical Circle
Calvin S. Kalman (Published online 5 September 2010).
DOI: 10.1007/s11191-010-9298-z
Science & Education: 20(2), 159–172, 2011.


Best wishes
Calvin

_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/
_/ Dr.Calvin S. Kalman, P. Phys. Phone: (514) 848-2424 xt 3284
_/ Professor,Department of Physics Fax: (514) 848-2828
_/ Principal, Science College
_/ Concordia University
_/ Montreal, QC H4B 1R6 Calvin.Kalman@concordia.ca
_/
_/ Also Adjunct Professor Department of Educational
_/ and Counselling Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec
_/
_/
_/ homepage- http://physics.concordia.ca/faculty/ckalman.php
_/
_/ Editor-in-Chief book series Science & Engineering Education Sources
_/ http://www.infoagepub.com/series/Science-Engineering-Education-Sources
_/
_/ See
_/ Successful Science and Engineering Teaching in Colleges and Universities
_/ at
_/ http://www.josseybass.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1933371161.html
_/ See review found in the Journal of Chemical Education Oct. 2007:
_/ http://tinyurl.com/2rt7tj
_/
_/ For the research behind this book see:
_/ "Successful Science and Engineering Teaching: Theoretical and Learning
_/ Perspectives (Innovation and Change in Professional Education)"
_/ at
_/ http://tinyurl.com/3qn237
_/
_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_//_/_/




On 2012-02-20, at 10:48 PM, Richard Hake wrote:

Some subscribers to Phys-L might be interested in a recent post
"Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay 'AGAINST PHILOSOPHY' (was
'References for Hermeneutics of Physics') " [Hake (2012)]. The
abstract reads:

************************************************
ABSTRACT: Faye Pasamonte of the PhysLrnR list requested references on
the "hermeneutics of physics." [An online dictionary tells me that
hermeneutics is "the branch of knowledge that deals with
interpretation, esp. of the Bible or literary texts."] My relay of
her request - along with a dismissal of hermeneutics by philosopher
Denis Phillips - to the HOPOS-L list (History of Philosophy of
Science) initiated a 20-post thread replete with references and a mix
of opinions on the value of hermeneutics. Philosopher George Gale, a
hermeneutics skeptic, wrote (paraphrasing) "Steven Weinberg in
Chapter 7 'AGAINST PHILOSOPHY' of his book 'Dreams of a Final
Theory' holds his own pretty damn well against the despised
philosophers."

Weinberg wrote: ". . . we should not expect it [philosophy] to
provide today's scientists with any useful guidance about how to go
about their work or about what they are likely to find. . . . After
surveying three decades of professional writings in the philosophy of
science, the philosopher George Gale. . . . .[[in "Science and the
Philosophers" (Gale, 1984)]]. . . . . concludes that 'THESE ALMOST
ARCANE DISCUSSIONS, VERGING ON THE SCHOLASTIC, COULD HAVE INTERESTED
ONLY THE SMALLEST NUMBER OF PRACTICING SCIENTISTS.'. . . . . . . .
.[[my CAPS]]. . . . Wittgenstein (1980) wrote that 'nothing seems to
me less likely than that a scientist or mathematician who reads me
should be seriously influenced in the way he works.' "
************************************************

To access the complete 15 kB post please click on <http://bit.ly/xupPFH>.

Richard Hake, Emeritus Professor of Physics, Indiana University
Honorary Member, Curmudgeon Lodge of Deventer, The Netherlands
President, PEdants for Definitive Academic References
which Recognize the Invention of the Internet (PEDARRII)
<rrhake@earthlink.net>
Links to Articles: <http://bit.ly/a6M5y0>
Links to SDI Labs: <http://bit.ly/9nGd3M>
Blog: <http://bit.ly/9yGsXh>
Academia: <http://iub.academia.edu/RichardHake>
Twitter <https://twitter.com/#!/rrhake>

REFERENCES [URL's shortened by <http://bit.ly/> and accessed on 20 Feb 2012.]

Hake, R.R. 2012. "Physicist Steven Weinberg's Essay 'AGAINST
PHILOSOPHY' (was 'References for Hermeneutics of Physics'), " online
on the OPEN! AERA-L archives at <http://bit.ly/xupPFH>. Post of 20
Feb 2012 16:48:24-0800 to AERA-L and Net-Gold. The abstract and link
to the complete post are being transmitted to several discussion
lists and are also on my blog "Hake'sEdStuff" at
<http://bit.ly/zWfVlX> with a provision for comments.

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