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Re: Historical material



I wrote:

...The history of science is an_advanced_ subject, to be
studied only _after_ one has a decent grasp of the principles
of science and the principles of history. It is completely
unsuitable as a method (let alone a substitute) for teaching
high-school physics/biology/chemistry....

Ludwik Kowalski wrote:

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with describing
historical episodes in the context of teaching science. Right?

Well, it depends. It could be done right. It is usually done
wrong. Obvious pitfalls include:
-- It could shed a false light on the physics.
-- It could shed a false light on the history.
-- It could be irrelevant and a waste of time.

As Kuhn so spectacularly pointed out, the logical progression
of ideas is very, very different from the historical
progression of ideas. The typical physicist, being a
physicist and not a historian, knows only the vaguest
caricature of the history of physics.

So, it depends. If you are able to tell the story straight,
and if you find it helpful to do so, go for it.