Re: Dangerous places for nuke use...

: Michael Ash <mike@xxxxxxxxxxx>
: I surely agree with this. However I was only talking about the specific
: question of the Sun going around the Earth, and possibly generalized to
: other "useless" bits of science. I certainly think that people should know
: at least a littlel bit about how a nuclear power plant works, how it can
: fail, and what is done to prevent it from failing, because that strongly
: and directly influences people. The fact that the Earth rotates rather
: than standing still as the Sun goes around it makes no direct difference
: in people's lives.

I think somebody cited "the earth is round" as something that matters.
Why does it? If people live in cities and are under artificial light
all the time and have seasonal influences become less relevant, as
was proposed somethread else, doesn't that render the shape of the
earth moot also?

And of course, the earth rotating is part of what's responsible for
hurricanes and trade winds, and ... oh well, whatever.

Point is, I'm not sure what makes something important in people's lives.
It seems to be pretty subjective, the meaning of "importance" and the
set of "people" who are relevant varying as it does.

I dunno. The difference between "what" and "how/why" knowledge seems to
be part of it. Is the contention that "how/why" is irrelevant to the
unwashed masses, much though it interests me and thee? Possibly
abstract/concrete a better characterization of the distinction involved
than what/why? Or what?


Tell me what makes the stars to shine,
Tell me what makes the ivy twine,
Tell me what makes the sky so blue,
And I will tell me why I love you.

Fusion is what makes the stars to shine,
Tropisms are what makes the ivy twine,
Scattering is what makes the sky so blue,
And pheromones are what make my love so true.

--- from memory, likely rephrased,
attrib lost, possibly an Asimov essay

( So... are fusion, tropisms, scattering, and pheromones
important to people? Are stars and ivy and sky no
longer important to city-dwellers? *Should* people
know something about why the sky is blue? Should they
draw a connection between blue sky and red sunsets?
Is it true that a red sky at morning, sailors take
warning, red sky at night, sailor's delight?
Or am I one of the 30% that get that mnemonic wrong?
But I digress. )


Wayne Throop throopw@xxxxxxxxx http://sheol.org/throopw
.

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