Re: [Phys-l] The "why" questions

["LaMontagne, Bob" <RLAMONT@providence.edu>]

When you push an object with your finger there is a long history of thoughts and actions that culminate with you placing your finger on the object and an acceleration of that object. There is no such history on the the part of the object that demands that your finger be placed on it  - it simply accelerates as the force is applied. I think a poll of most people would  result in an interpretation of the word "caused" in this case to be that the finger caused the object to move - regardless of the simultaneity of the force and acceleration. The acceleration of the object does not demand the simultaneous appearance of a finger (any one of a list of other forces could substitute for the finger) - the push of the finger, however, demands a simultaneous acceleration of the object. There is a huge asymmetry here that is covered by the word "caused" in the English language.

> From dictionary.com:

cause/kôz/
Verb: Make (something) happen: "this disease can cause blindness".
Noun: A person or thing that gives rise to an action, phenomenon, or condition

Bob at PC

________________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of John Denker [jsd@av8n.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 8:01 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] The "why" questions

> The whole of physics was built upon the assumption that
> every effect has a cause and it has come into existence
> as a consequence of this search.

It would have been better to say that the whole of premodern
physics /up to a point 400 years ago/ was built on that assumption.
According to some, including Stillman Drake, Albert Einstein,
and others, /modern/ science began when people stopped using
that approach.