Re: Why should non-scientists learn physics?

["RAUBER, JOEL" <JOEL_RAUBER@SDSTATE.EDU>]

Bob,
Do you mean why they should learn physics from our point of view; or from
their (the students) point of view? or from Societies point of view?

Its not quite clear how Dan meant his rhetorical statement.

Joel Rauber

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert A Cohen [mailto:bbq@ESU.EDU]
> Sent: Monday, March 12, 2001 2:40 PM
> To: PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu
> Subject: Why should non-scientists learn physics?
>
>
> I am somewhat confused by Dan M's statement below.
>
> I would agree that a formal error analysis technique would be
> unnecessary
> for non-scientists but even non-scientists need to be able to analyze
> their measurements, don't they?  Otherwise, why do
> experiments at all?  I
> see too many secondary-school "experiments" in which
> differences between
> measurement and prediction is "hand-waved" away because
> students are not
> required (or expected) to do any analysis.
>
> Just curious, why should non-scientists learn physics?
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
> | Robert Cohen               Department of Physics       |
> |                            East Stroudsburg University |
> | bbq@esu.edu                East Stroudsburg, PA  18301 |
> | http://www.esu.edu/~bbq/   (570) 422-3428              |
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> On Fri, 9 Mar 2001, Daniel L. MacIsaac wrote:
>
> > There are measurement analysis notes used for the first
> year physics labs
> > at Purdue University at http://www.physics.purdue.edu/phys152l/
> > look under MA1 and MA2 for the two lectures, examples and
> worksheets on
> > measurement analysis.  PHY 152L is a lab for calculus-based
> physics for
> > engineers and scientists.  I feel measurement analysis is
> EXTREMELY appropriate
> > for this population.  I would NOT recommend teaching
> measurement analysis to
> > non-engineers or scientists; they are learning physics for
> different reasons.
> > Dan M
> >
> > Dan MacIsaac, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy,
> Northern AZ Univ
> > danmac@nau.edu          http://purcell.phy.nau.edu
> PHYS-L list owner
> >