Why is Science Important

[Umbran]

Why is science important? - A collection of thoughts from leading scientists, public figures, ...and you.

Alom Shaha is a school teacher in the UK, and he has put together a website and a video, asking people to share why science is important. There are scientists, educators, psychologists, artists and many others from different walks of life who participated in this project.

The video is about a half-hour long.

Why is Science Important? on Vimeo

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Interesting and somewhat inspiring. I know when I teach physics I often deal with students who ask "why are we doing this?"

My usual answer is the technological/medical one. Also I use the idea that science helps foster scientific thinking in those who undertake it, that what they will take away from this class is not how fast a block slides down an inclined plane, but a way of thinking about any problem from a scientific viewpoint. Also I've told my astronomy students when I do a night lab that if they can't understand the beauty and majesty of the universe then I question their very humanity. This is usually out of frustration rafter showing them the nebuli of Orion or the binary Alberio and have them say they would rather be watching TV.

My criticisms include is his general attack on superstition. Now he only mentions coal walking and has someone talking about paranormal activity. But is all "superstition" is bad? Including religion? I seem to get that perception after he includes evangelical type language after his initial demonstration.

Also as a global warming sceptic, there has been a 20,000 year trend in the increase in CO₂ concentrations with a change in the rate of increase happening in the 1700s. Modern temperatures are not much higher than those of the Medieval Warm Period or the Holocene Maximum (and they still can't grow grapes in the South of England like they did during the Medieval Warm Period). Also, the "hole" in the Ozone didn't just stabilize, it continued to change in size both growing and shrinking way after CFCs had passed the "danger level" in concentration. Also I still hate the term hole since it was a decrease in concentration rather than a hole.

I understand how Fusion power could change our very lives because Fossil feuls are a limited resource (though with the Athabascan Tar Sands the shortage may happen far after our lifespans) and how science can shape our destinies, but I still see the whole Global Warming scare as selectively looking at scientific data.

 

[ssampier]

I really respect scientists and the scientific method. I love science, even though I am not very good at it. It's probably because I can't see the "big picture". Plus I stink at math.

I graduated with a bachelor in a Social Science, specifically Sociology. We do use the scientific method, but it's a huge leap from physics or chemistry.

 

[Umbran]

Also as a global warming sceptic, there has been a 20,000 year trend in the increase in CO₂ concentrations with a change in the rate of increase happening in the 1700s. Modern temperatures are not much higher than those of the Medieval Warm Period or the Holocene Maximum (and they still can't grow grapes in the South of England like they did during the Medieval Warm Period).

In my reading of the literature, it is pretty clear to me that the data is there - there is an overall warming trend. At this point, the preponderance of evidence that the warming is happening seems to me to be beyond selective cherry-picking.

The problems and politics arise when we discuss what, if anything, we intend to do about it. And that's a place we shouldn't go on these boards.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Yeah, just my personal axe to grind. And I know it misses the point about why science is important and how to explain why we study it to people. He hit the points I make to my students all the time in a very eloquent fashion.

 

[Wycen]

My final class session this quarter was just Wednesday and the professor asked the question, "Why do we study history?" She had a good list but there was something left off, which I realized as I was listening to a classmate talk about his final project.

And it applies to science as well.

Why study science and history? So that when we go back in time we can better adjust events to our liking!

 

[Steve Jung]

Modern temperatures are not much higher than those of the Medieval Warm Period or the Holocene Maximum (and they still can't grow grapes in the South of England like they did during the Medieval Warm Period).

There are several vineyards in southern England as evidenced by this list.

 

[Achan hiArusa]

Thanks. I stand corrected.