Joy of Science

I am enjoying the Teaching Company DVD the Joy of Science by Robert Hazen.

What I like: His goal is for everyone to have scientific literacy. I have just dabbled in the talks so far, did a bit 'o googling on the man, and skimmed the books he has written that my library owns... but am finding a common thread.

He is one of those professors who is passionate about learning, particularly passionate about their chosen subject and wants to break the university ivory castle walls and share it with everyone. He gets across that everyone can be literate and treats people like they have a brain. He reminds me a bit of Dr. Louis Markos who is here at HBU and I had the pleasure of seeing talk about CS Lewis and the classics. I love these kinds of professors!

Anyway, one thing I really like about Dr. Hazen is that he stresses that science is really not to be lumped into categories, such as Chemistry, Physics, Biology, etc. Yes, they each have an area of discipline, but they overlap. The world overlaps and what is science but studying our world? In a way he demystifies from the beginning and says these separations were brought on by academia in the 18th century because the universities had to provide more professorships, so they had to create more departments. Funny how man's needs can shape our view of the world/science.

Ok, well in the first talk he laid out 4 reasons why we should all be scientifically literate. Which by the way he describes as a general understanding of how the world works, not down to formula levels, etc.


From the TC site:

Dr. Hazen cites four reasons why you should strive to become
scientifically literate:

1. Scientific literacy helps you as a consumer
make informed decisions—about health care, diet, nutrition, exercise,
environmental issues, and the plethora of technological choices that we all
face.

2. Many of today's jobs depend directly or indirectly on science
as well as on technologies that are developed from scientific discoveries.

3. Scientific literacy helps you provide your children with a firm
foundation as they study science in school.

4. Learning about science
allows you to share the joy of humanity's greatest ongoing adventure of
discovery and exploration.

Humm.... Yes, I can see this. But what is missing? That when we learn about this world we are seeing what God created... that this is his world and when we understand a bit more we are seeing a little more of his handiwork! Maybe that fits in #4? Or maybe all of the above are a subset of this? lol

He does make some good points about what science is. Science is something that is 'proven' through data and the data can be reproduced and "proven" again. I think this is a great foundation to help explain science to myself and my kids.

We all know that the explosion of science and humanism in the 18th century went a little berserk... with Darwin and other's theories turning many scientists into mini-gods and then the technological breakthroughs we have seen (and are still seeing) also leaving people almost worshiping science. I have seen how it was embedded in my world view as I grew up and have had to sort it through in my adult years. Science really is a god of our times and I think has led some Christians to back away from it.

But, it really is, as Dr. Hazen says, a voyage of discovery. I think if we can keep our heads, it really is a wonderful way to see God in all aspects of the natural world.

Wow.. I must have had good coffee this morning! Still reading? lol

I like lectures and am not saying one needs to watch lectures to discover science. Some of the best discovery I ever had was with my sweet boys when they were younger. We did hours of nature walks armed with field guides and oreos. Oh, and the kitchen experiments! What fun. And we learned a lot. More than I did in school.

Then when we went to Hilo Hawaii and as we settled in after a long flight I picked up the notes left by our bedside and read that a Tsunami could hit any moment. What was a Tsunami? I learned fast, and didn't sleep a wink that night, but we went to the local Tsunami museum the next day.

Now I know all about Tsunamis.

So I am looking at science in a different way. In fact it is a bit of a shame that I was taught that chemistry only consisted of what I learned in my chem class in high school. Sigh. It was soooooo boring.

Oh, we did get a giggle last night. Dr. Hazen helped write the national standards for science curriculum. Not sure who uses it, but he mentioned schools a lot.
He then went on to say that everything in there is included in this series of lectures. (I think the DVDs have MORE that what is in K-12, as some of his talks I have sampled do go further into college level).

But he said, these DVDs have it all. I looked at my youngest offsping wryly.... ok.. so we can watch these DVDs or sit in a classroom for 12 years.. I know what I would rather do! Lol !