Re: Nature of Science (NOS)

[Rick Tarara <rbtarara@SPRYNET.COM>]

In the end I think that almost all of us are in favor of teaching about
'Scientific Methods' while almost no one is in favor of (or even knows what
is) 'THE Scientific Method'.  The task at hand is to get the 'powers that
be' to understand the difference and stop demanding the latter.

Rick

*************************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
219-284-4664
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE PHYSICS INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
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----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry Cartwright" <exit60@CABLESPEED.COM>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 5:58 PM
Subject: Re: Nature of Science (NOS)


> Joseph Bellina wrote:
> > I think you need to be very careful about what is false.  It is true
> > that there is no common piece that scientists do that distinquishes it
> > clearly from other activities, that is, there is no scientific method.
> > But reasoned action usually makes use of the pieces we see listed in the
> > stereotypical SM.  I am suggesting that reasoned action be reinforced in
> > children, and that using what we call the scientific method, without
> > calling it that is a good template for that action.
>
> And I am suggesting that there is no specific formula or pattern which
> describes logical thinking and reasoned action.  I am rendering a
> falsehood if I tell anyone, 4-year-old or college student, that there is
> a fixed series of steps which can be depended upon to lead us to truth.
> I am presenting them with misleading dogma rather than a healthy regard
> for the complexities of good decision-making.
>
> I believe we are far better off in the long run if we tell our children
> that reasoning, logic and science are complicated pursuits which do not
> lend themselves to description by any simplistic algorithm.  Of course
> we are going to translate the concept into language appropriate to their
> vocabulary and experiences.
>
> In my early years of teaching, I was a big fan of step-by-step
> formulations like "the scientific method."  As I matured, I wanted by
> young daughter and my students to be aware that a major problem with
> formulas, algorithms and other list-driven strategies is that one is
> constantly tempted to use them inappropriately in situations where they
> do not apply usefully; I wanted them to be aware that dogma should
> always be approached with wary suspicion.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Larry
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> Larry Cartwright   <exit60@cablespeed.com>
> Retired (June 2001) Physics Teacher
> Charlotte MI 48813 USA
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~