Re: What should schools teach (e.g. _Pandas_) ?

John B. Tant (jtant@exis.net)
Sat, 11 May 1996 11:00:08 -0400

Greetings all,
Actually, I'm intending to use Del Ratzsch's newest book, The Battle
of Beginnings (BoB), for my high school Physics class next year. The plan is
for the students to read it throughout the first semester and to be ready
to discuss the assigned portions on our "Philosophy Fridays". At my school,
the students are used to dealing with presuppositional thinking in their
Bible/Logic class and in their history and government classes. They have
noted that Miss Ferdon's "presuppositions" in history class seem to bear
a striking resemblance to the "postulates" and underlying assumptions in
my science and math classes! I've just read BoB and am really excited
about the work Ratzsch has done. BTW, if anyone hasn't read it, I've just
written an informal review and would be glad to send it to you.
I've never done long term book discussions like this with students before,
so I'd appreciate any suggestions/cautions from those who have. Also, any
suggestions for the 2nd semester <grin!>???

jbt

At 02:40 PM 5/10/96 -0400, lhaarsma@OPAL.TUFTS.EDU wrote:

>Bill Hamilton said it well:
>> I see no reason for keeping philosophical arguments out of the science
>> curriculum, and many for including them. However, philosophy should be
>> clearly labelled as philosophy. I would go so far as to say that I'd favor
>> requiring all degree candidates in science fields to take a sequence of
>> courses in philosophy of science.
>
>I completely agree.
>
>I would very much like to see some philosophy of science taught in the
>high schools, perhaps a week or three of it in the upper level science
>classes. (That means SOMEONE should write a good, short, high-school
>level textbook. Say, Del....)
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