Ted Davis writes:
>>I tell my students that scientific knowledge is determined not by
observations and experiments, but by the outcome of debates about how to
interpret observations and experiments, and that such debates can be
influenced by a variety of factors (incl. politics, religion, personality,
various background beliefs, aesthetic commitments, etc).<<
Do the parents of your students know that you are indoctrinating their
children with a post-modern perspective on science?
If so, do they approve? Or don't they care?
Are they forewarned, before they send their children to Messiah College,
that this is what they are purchasing?
What would you tell a student in your class who then espouses a similar
view concerning the biblical data surrounding the resurrection of Jesus
Christ?
If I ever came to believe what you say about the relationship between
"observations and experiments" and "scientific knowledge," I would abandon
my career. I have been taught and believe that data (observations) are
the life-blood of science, and that I have a moral responsibility to
handle, report, and, where possible, interpret data with both care and
honesty.
(Please don't view this as a flame. Despite my sharply critical response,
it is a serious posting.)
Gordon Simons
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Jan 01 2002 - 09:23:06 EST