Chronology Current Month Current Thread Current Date
[Year List] [Month List (current year)] [Date Index] [Thread Index] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Date Prev] [Date Next]

Re: Words and Concepts Physics( was causation)



Calling an association, cause and effect is an anthropomorphism. Much
human experience is obviously cause and result. Using commonsense to
"explain" physical behavior is like using N. mechanics to explain the
microscopic behavior of electrons, etc. I don't think explaining to
students Physics is not like human behavior would kill their interest.
Finding associations or fitting data to equations should be just as
exciting, nicht wahr?

bc

Ludwik Kowalski wrote:

By eliminating the way of reasoning based on
cause-and-effect considerations we would
terminate the old and exciting process of inquiry.

On Sunday, Nov 16, 2003, at 06:40 US/Pacific, SSHS KPHOX wrote:



Forum for Physics Educators <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu> writes:


This is a very good point. IMHO, the concept of "force" is one that
we
have created to help explain why things behave the way they do. It is
certainly not in the realm of fundamentals, such as momentum and
energy.


This thread on Causation has been a wonderful exercise for me. Thank
you
all!

In my way of thinking all these words we have been bantering about
(Force,
momentum, energy, field etc) are all human creations to help us
understand
what is going on.

I am reminded of Feynman's reflection on his father's explanation of
why
the ball "went to the back of the wagon". Inertia is a word we have
invented to represent a concept that is associated with a behavior of
matter. Why did the ball stay behind? Is inertia the cause or the lack
of
an agent (force) to make it accelerate? {I hold the latter view.}
We,humans, want to know why things behave as they do. We seek causes
for
effects. We do that in all disciplines of study, not just Physics.

As we educate students and ourselves, our understanding matures but I
doubt we can start with total understanding on day one. I, for one,
find
the idea of explaining centrifuges as some sort of field fascinating,
but
would hesitate to use that model with high school students. It is an
interesting thought, however, and could be a unifying theme for the
entire
course. I would need to understand why that field is there though. What
causes it ? ;-)


Ken Fox