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Re: [Phys-l] Fuzzy language



There was nothing fuzzy about it. It was a pure and simple grammatical error - sort of a "Bushism".

Bob at PC

-----Original Message-----
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu [mailto:phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu] On Behalf Of John Clement
Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 1:03 PM
To: 'Forum for Physics Educators'
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] Fuzzy language


Speaking of fuzzy language - the word "since" used at the beginning of a
sentence is structurally a conjunction and becomes synonymous with
"because". You probably meant to use it as a substitute for "after".

The actual meaning was probably a conflation of after and because. This is
of course a problem that the exact shade of meaning you desire may not be
available in the language you are using. So languages are inherently fuzzy.

But students still have to be more precise in language. They can not be
allowed to hide behind fuzzy language constructions. They often resort to
equation hunting rather than looking at meaning. While equations are exact
they are not by themselves necessarily correct for solving a particular
problem. One needs qualifiers for equations. The physical situation needs
description as well as equations, and the equations need to be qualified as
to how they apply to the situation.

Unfortunately math and science courses have taught students that equations
are the most important part of solving a problem, when in reality they are
just the last thing you use, if necessary. Many problems do not need
equations, and many are much more easily solved by other methods which may
be just as mathematical.

Precise language is probably in many ways more important than the math
machinery known as equations. Eventually students can come to view math as
almost another language, but that point of view has not really been
impressed on students. Math has been taught as a series of algorithms or
tricks many of which make no sense to the students. Have they even been
asked to come up with physical descriptions of an equation? Or even better
yet given a graph reproduce it with a physical apparatus.

In a way the problem of teaching physics is very much like teaching a second
language, but in reality it is like teaching 4 new languages. Students have
to be able to translate between the 4 representations as if each were a
separate language.

Under this problem lies the cognitive deficits catalogued by Feuerstein.
Fuzzy language stems from an "inability to understand the need for accuracy
and precision". This deficit is not usually addressed well in conventional
courses. Feuerstein does have methods of addressing the various cognitive
deficits, but his methods are not in the standard syllabus for any known
course other than his Instrumental Enrichment (IE).

The cited article "Lost in Translation" really hit home as to the importance
of language, and how everyday English (or French...) has problems.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

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