@lindafitch
Active 7 years, 3 months agoForum Replies Created
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Dear Folks,
Never has there been any kind of serial narrative more fascinating (to me at least) than the conversations that have shot back and forth in the past few days. I sincerely hope that it all continues and that nobody bows out.
Though I grew up in a culture of science, with my physicist uncle Val (Fitch) and his brother (my father) talking about k mesons, leptons, and “naked charm” at the dinner table, I always felt on the outside of science and occupied, for many years, the world of the humanities and the arts.
I an seated, at the moment, in the Peanut Gallery of your conversations and very much appreciate what I am reading. Please keep it up. Your perspectives, whether in conflict or not, are of immeasurable value.
Jim M., I’m so hoping that you and Lois Byrne will come to Isle La Motte, VT next summer to see the “Walk Through Time” exhibit set up in the context of our 83 acre Ordovician fossil preserve. My unexpected battle, in the mid 1990s, to preserve these ancient outcrops gave rise to my first faint interests in science (ie what happened 480 million years ago, what happened before and what happened after.) I very much appreciate what I am learning – among other things and particularly from you – about the legacy of Lynn Margulis.
To Duane, Jon, Jim, Steve, and all: I am honored to be walking in the outskirts of your worlds. My thanks for your sharings.
Linda Fitch
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<p>As a non scientist my only contribution to this discussion is the expression of my gratitude to Duane for initiating such a riveting conversation. It actually began on the very day that I was, during my arduous journey of self-education regarding science, wondering about the boundaries between life and non life. I await, with baited breath, the next contributions to this fabulous exchange.</p>
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I eagerly awaited this program as yet another potentially important effort to “tell the science based story of the Cosmos” – interestingly presented, I thought, on the Fox Network. The images, as it began, were spectacular but I was initially unhappy with what I experienced as very loud and unduly dramatic music, drowning out, I thought, the story teller. But I agree with Jennifer that it calmed down after a bit, and the narrative became more understandable. Several things: I was fascinated by the portrayal of the Catholic Church fathers as such dramatically evil villains….not that I disagree… but it was very interesting to see this particular bit of history expressed in “cartoon” form and wondered how it would be received by the public in general. Particularly by the religion vs science folk. I thought that in general the portrayal of the scale of time was very powerful, though it would have been so easy to add the image of a dinosaur or two during Tyson’s walk through the forest- as an appeal to kids in a classroom.
Overall I would say hurray! And I, with Jennifer, will be very interested to hear from classroom teachers as to the use of the series in the classroom.
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