Re: [Phys-L] The Make-Believe World of Real-World Physics

[John Denker <jsd@av8n.com>]

In the context of physics being simple or not simple, I asked:
Compared to what?


On 07/12/2013 05:42 AM, Anthony Lapinski wrote:
> I'm at a private school with relatively smart kids. The reality is that
> most kids find physics difficult. This has been my experience. And my
> weaker kids are worse at math and analyzing graphs, slopes, etc. The are
> used to memorizing things in school. Physics is not like that.

OK, that's a fine answer to my question.  We agree that 11th-grade 
physics is a lot more complicated that 8th-grade earth science.
This is relevant, because this is the comparison that /students/
will make, if left to their own devices.

However, this is only part of a larger picture.  Students, almost
by definition, have a hard time seeing into the future.  That's 
why students must not be left to their own devices.  That's why 
teachers are needed.

Here's are some options for the 11th graders to consider:

  1) Returning to 8th grade.  If you like simplicity, this is the 
   option for you.  Your parents take care of you in every way,
   including providing food, clothing, and shelter.

  2) (a) Getting an education, then (b) living in the real world.
   Holding a job.  Driving a car.  Voting.  Raising a family.

  3) Living in the real world without an education.

Yeah, physics is complicated compared to 8th-grade earth science ...
but spending your whole life in 8th grade is not really an option.
Having somebody else take care of you for your whole life is not
really an option.

You may think (2) is complicated compared to (1), but I guarantee 
that (2) is trivial compared to (3).  The only reason we bother 
with (2a) is that it makes (2b) easy compared to (3).

Let's be clear:  There are predators out there, waiting to prey on 
your ignorance.  If you want to live in the real world, you'd better 
learn how to do it. 

 -- We do *not* do hard problems in this class.
 ++ We do important problems.
 ++ We do interesting problems.
 ++ We do problems that /would be hard/ if you didn't know the 
  right technique for solving them.  So, let's get started learning 
  some useful techniques......