Comments on: Let the kids decide

By: L’ArrÃªt de mort » Blog Archive » CrÃ©ationnisme et ordinaire de la pensÃ©e

Mon, 26 Sep 2005 13:31:29 +0000

[...] Et aussi. The case against intelligent design by Jerry Coyne. C’est un peux vieux mais ce dessin (Teach both Theories, Let the Kids decide) est toujours aussi drÃ´le. [...]

By: Plato

Plato — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 08:09:06 +0000

I of course seen this cartoon earlier and had to remember where I had seen it, because like correlations we might see sometimes in terms of a certain landscape, I found this picture relevant in this way. Maybe this cartoon sketch set the course for this photograph? Speculating of course. http://stayfree.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/sciencestamps2.jpg

By: The Quest for Better Science Education | Cosmic Variance

The Quest for Better Science Education | Cosmic Variance — Wed, 31 Aug 2005 22:00:24 +0000

[...] Which puts me in mind of an earlier post on this blog. [...]

By: Alejandro Rivero

Alejandro Rivero — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 11:48:26 +0000

And what kind of astrology do you teach? The problem with all these arts in their non-degenerate form is that there was a coexistence of scientific and supersticious approaches. Let me to quote Vitrubius for a good example of this: The precepts of the ancients, in this respect, should ever be observed. They always, after sacrifice, carefully inspected the livers of those animals fed on that spot whereon the city was to be built, or whereon a stative encampment was intended. If the livers were diseased and livid, they tried others, in order to ascertain whether accident or disease was the cause of the imperfection; but if the greater part of the experiments proved, by the sound and healthy appearance of the livers, that the water and food of the spot were wholesome, they selected it for the garrison. If the reverse, they inferred, as in the case of cattle, so in that of the human body, the water and food of such a place would become pestiferous; and they therefore abandoned it, in search of another, valuing health above all other considerations. Well, perhaps the translator exagerates by upgrading "experÄ«rÄ«" into a modern "to experiment", but the thing is that even the activity of a seer can happen to be scientific. Then, what about mathematical operations such as looking for orbit periodicities or even to decide about a notation to divide the sky in equal parts?

By: the one Intelligently designed

the one Intelligently designed — Fri, 19 Aug 2005 04:26:40 +0000

Well just to let you know I do teach my students about astrology in my astronomy class and let them decide.

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:12:43 +0000

Saucy — why do you think I want the black lab coat?

By: Alejandro Rivero

Alejandro Rivero — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:11:16 +0000

I can not get the point of the cartoon. Looking at the astronomer only, it seems to say that astrology has become as absurd as to be uneffective even as a theory of the sequence of astronomical phenomena. But then, why do magic and phrenology get different status than astrology in the cartoon?

Secondary questions for a good discussion could be why Physics is shown against Magic instead of, say, Aristotelism? Surely Magic as a whole is closer to Medicine. Mythology could be related to physics, but mostly to astrophysics… And what about alchemy? The failure in alchemy are quantitative aspects, but the main postulate of alchemy is the use of dualities to classify reactions, and this is still taught in chemistry courses.

(If you are going to tell me that alchemy has also qualitative failure because the transmutation from mercury to gold is not exothermic, please check again the table of stable isotopes before clicking the Submit button)

Last, Risa, are you sure that the guy in the first square dress as a scientific? Er what university do you work in? I’d like a position there!

By: Saucy Wench

Saucy Wench — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:09:52 +0000

Sean went to a Catholic university for his undergrad.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 17:21:47 +0000

Zero,

Ahh… Catholic school. I completely forgot about those. My brain associates Christian with evangelical (which is the type of school I attended). My mistake…

It is my understanding that many Catholic schools are top-notch in their curriculums.

By: Zero

Zero — Fri, 05 Aug 2005 17:13:31 +0000

Matt: I have never even heard of “ACE” or “A Beka”. Maybe they did not have such designations back when I was in (Catholic) school. In any case, I thought that I received a pretty good education in science and math — certainly enough to get started with some serious physics once I got to college.

Zero