Re: Simple explanations. Was: what are the labs for?

["Dewey Dykstra, Jr." <dykstrad@bsumail.idbsu.edu>]

> I had another motive. To challenge those who crow about how they
> teach "conceptual physics" and who emphasize "simple" explanations over
> mathematical ones.
> .....................................................................
> Dr. Donald E. Simanek                            Office: 717-893-2079

Does the set of "simple" explanations not overlap the set of mathematical ones?

Is the set of "complicated" explanations more or less identical to the
mathematical ones?

In what sense is a mathematical explanation really an explanation?

Just wondering...

Dewey

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dewey I. Dykstra, Jr.                   Phone: (208)385-3105
Professor of Physics                    Dept:  (208)385-3775
Department of Physics/MCF421/418        Fax: (208)385-4330
Boise State University                  dykstrad@bsumail.idbsu.edu
1910 University Drive                   Boise Highlanders
Boise, ID 83725-1570                       novice piper

"Physical concepts are the free creations of the human mind and
are not, however it may seem, uniquely determined by the external
world."--A. Einstein in The Evolution of Physics with L. Infeld,
1938.
"Every [person's] world picture is and always remains a construct
of [their] mind and cannot be proved to have any other existence."
--E. Schrodinger in Mind and Matter, 1958.
"Don't mistake your watermelon for the universe."  --K. Amdahl in
There Are No Electrons, 1991.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++