Re: Nature of Science (NOS)

[John Clement <clement@HAL-PC.ORG>]

> At 13:11 -0500 9/1/02, John Clement wrote:
> > I do not think that the myth of "scientific method" comes from
> the education
> > departments.  I would say it is quite the opposite.  The education
> > departments are actively fighting this myth.  The cited paper in
> my NOS post
> > was written by faculty members in the education departments.  It is more
> > likely to have come from administrators or fellow colleagues in science
> > departments.
> Which is why I offered it as a hypothesis for testing. If not the
> education departments, where? Of the scientists among my acquaintance
> *none* espouses the simple minded view of "scientific method" that we
> decry here? Could it be the engineering schools? Inquiring minds want
> to know.
>
> Hugh
> --

I have interacted with engineers who had very dogmatic views about science
so that is a good suggestion.

Biologists have criticized physics professors as being unprofessional when
they use inquiry methods so that is a good place to look.  Which is more
unprofessional the faculty using inquiry methods or the faculty who openly
criticize them???

There are mathematicians who consider knowledge to be absolute and immutable
so that is a another place.

And who wrote the textbook sections with the information about "The
Scientific Method".

I would suggest that there are some colleagues who are not on this list who
might be candidates.  Maybe they are all at Bob Jones U.

Anyone who only takes a single conventional physics course might be a
candidate.  Remember their views about science deteriorate during such a
course.  For evidence see some of the papers by Redish.

However, perhaps somebody at one of the colleges that require it could do
some sleuthing.  It might be useful to know which universities and 4 year
schools require this so we can have a proper investigation.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX