Hobson:2009

Part of bibliography:<bib>Hobson:2009</a>

Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:44:32 PM EDT

From: Art Hobson

To: PHYSOC@LISTSERV.UARK.EDU

Subject: Re: Poll shows fewer Americans "believe" in global warming

Dear friends -

I heartily agree with Marty about the word "belief." Scientists, when writing or speaking as scientists, should try to remove that word from their vocabulary.

Marty asks "can science ever make headway in educating the public?" I think we can make headway, but that we don't try. To educate the public, our first emphasis must be on scientific literacy for all rather than on technical training for future scientists and engineers. But how many high schools put general conceptual physics for all students first, and the AP courses for future scientists second? How many university physics departments put physics for non-scientists first, and calculus- or algebra-based physics for scientists and engineers second? We need to focus first and foremost on socially- and culturally-relevant physics for all students. As long as we don't really try to "make headway in educating the public," we'll never achieve it.

Cheers - Art