Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ Beyond Human A taste for the weird and wonderful.

There have been a lot of discussions regarding science lately.

For those who think that science kills the wonder of the universe, that it is boring and unpoetic, you might want to check out this site:

http://sprott.physics.wisc.edu/pickover/pc/realitycarnival.html

Here you'll find links to a lot of scientific and mathematical material that demonstrate how science truly is a gateway to mystery, wonder, and magic.

Clifford Pickover writes about a lot of weird and wonderful math and science. His book on the fourth spatial dimension (Surfing Through Hyperspace, I think), is stimulating and fantastic.

Fantastic links! Almost ruining my working day....!

Thanks for the link, babayada,

As a science educator, one of the things which occupies my thoughts is why
some (most?) people are so put off by science and scientists. I'm not
talking about any particular segment of the population which might be more
prone to delusional thinking ... I'm talking about bright, energetic,
young people who are intelligent enough to gain acceptance into the finest
institutions of higher learning, with whom I have the privilege of
regularly interacting with. Many of them seem to "get it" when it comes to
matters requiring scientific reasoning, but many simply can't, no matter
how hard they try. I've personally, patiently tutored such students, and
I can clearly see that something about science simply does not make sense
to them. They come in with wonder and fascination, but then leave with
frustration and a sense of failure, not because they didn't try, but
because they tried and just couldn't comprehend our particular view of the
world. They end up just memorizing the "facts" and accepting them on
faith without understanding their beautiful, rational origins. Perhaps
this is the origin of the fallacy that science is the new religion and
scientists are the new priesthood.

And, I would fiercely defend these students from those who would dismiss
them outright as simply not "intelligent" enough to appreciate science and
the wonderful things it has to say about our universe, because I know that
they are in every other way quite bright, well-adjusted, and diligent
students. Such arrogance helps no one, least of all the student. What I
wish I could do is really enter their minds to see the world through their
set of eyes and understand what is it about science that makes it so
un-intelligible to them.

Perhaps many prefer anti-science over science because what the
anti-scientists are offering them makes more sense to them than what
scientists can offer. It's not an issue about who is right or wrong, who
is more or less intelligent, etc., etc., but what view of the universe
satisfies a certain "something" within the individual's mentality. Some
things click for you and I, but the same things don't click for others.
Likewise, what clicks for them, don't for us. Perhaps the paths we choose
to tread are different, but the destination is the same. I just hope the
lines of communication remain open between those who choose different
paths, because we have a lot to learn from each others' journeys.

In that spirit,

HF

Different people have different aptitudes.

I believe these differences, perhaps in brain functioning, will ultimately be beneficial to the survival of the species. (This is showing us that nature doesn't put all of her eggs in one basket.)

While someone may not be gifted at science and may not get it, they will no doubt have aptitudes in other areas and in those areas you or I may not be the ones go get it.

It is my hope that not getting it is not a matter of inability, rather a matter of approach. It is a non-rational, thoroughly untested belief of mine that everyone can pretty much understand anything someone else does, at least on a basic, functional level.

It may be uncomfortable or seem unnatural for you or someone else to function in certain ways, but it's not impossible. Not having gotten there yet does not mean we will never arrive. It might, but lets err on the side of hope. That's what I tell myself when I am having trouble, anyway.

In other news, lines of communication being closed is sometimes a good thing. Sometimes the communication going on is useless and maybe even hurtful.