If Science as it is today, only deals in teaching facts and not the Scientific method then there needs to be a war on science. What needs to change is that we need to show kids how the method works and how the theories come about. If we teach them the method and not preach it as a Gospel, then we can entrust the next generation to continue the long tradition of Science.
What is fact today becomes tomorrows history, and evolves into a new and current theory of the subject.
The smallest particle is an atom, The smallest particle is a electron, The smallest particle is a quark... and so on and so forth.
There are 8 planets, There are 9 planets, There 10 planets, there to many to count, there are different types of planets so many of these and so many of those. Publishers of Science books must be rolling in money.
I recall the old Physics joke, about a vistor to university being shown there most prized possession. And there in a glass cabinet for all to see was the Physics test paper. The guest ask will not the kids learn the answers, the lecturer responded well you see the answers change every year.
I recall my dean of engineering's ideal test was an open book were you could bring anything you wanted, but you would still find it hard to pass the test if you did not understand the core of it.
Instead if it was taught as a method then we would not have to rewrite textbooks every time a so called scientific fact changes. And we don't have to be concerned by theories that are little out there from our point of view, because students will have the tools to critically assess them. This is the key folks give the children to become critical thinkers not an encyclopedia of information that becomes outdated. There are no absolutes in Science only possibilities.
Regards
Fahim
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