Disclamer Stickers for Science Books - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Redlemon · 11-23-2004, 11:32 AM

You have probably heard of the Evolution disclamer sticker already, developed by the Cobb County School District in Georgia:

Quote:

This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be
approached with an open mind, studied carefully, and critically considered.

Here's a link to many more stickers, to be used as appropriate; click the image on that site for a PDF version. My favorite:

Quote:

This sticker covers a pre-existing sticker designed to subtly undermine the teaching of evolution in your class. To see the full text of the original sticker, examine the books of children of school board members, who mandated the stickering.

braisler · 11-23-2004, 11:53 AM

This another example of someone mis-stating what a scientific theory means. When we, as scientists, say something is a theory, it is not the same as a police detective saying he has a theory about who committed the crime, which is just what is implied by that idiotic sticker. A scientific theory is a construct which considers all of the facts and evidence available and draw conclusions that help us better understand the world around us. Scientific theories are verified by multiple independent observers and serve to align a number of concepts into understandable agreement.

Here is a bit more background on scientific hypothesis, theory, and law:

Quote:

Lay people often misinterpret the language used by scientists. And for that reason, they sometimes draw the wrong conclusions as to what the scientific terms mean.

Three such terms that are often used interchangeably are "scientific law," "hypothesis," and "theory."

In layman’s terms, if something is said to be “just a theory,” it usually means that it is a mere guess, or is unproved. It might even lack credibility. But in scientific terms, a theory implies that something has been proven and is generally accepted as being true.

Here is what each of these terms means to a scientist:

Scientific Law: This is a statement of fact meant to explain, in concise terms, an action or set of actions. It is generally accepted to be true and univseral, and can sometimes be expressed in terms of a single mathematical equation. Scientific laws are similar to mathematical postulates. They don’t really need any complex external proofs; they are accepted at face value based upon the fact that they have always been observed to be true.

Some scientific laws, or laws of nature, include the law of gravity, the law of thermodynamics, and Hook’s law of elasticity.

Hypothesis: This is an educated guess based upon observation. It is a rational explanation of a single event or phenomenon based upon what is observed, but which has not been proved. Most hypotheses can be supported or refuted by experimentation or continued observation.

Theory: A theory is more like a scientific law than a hypothesis. A theory is an explanation of a set of related observations or events based upon proven hypotheses and verified multiple times by detached groups of researchers. One scientist cannot create a theory; he can only create a hypothesis.

In general, both a scientific theory and a scientific law are accepted to be true by the scientific community as a whole. Both are used to make predictions of events. Both are used to advance technology.

The biggest difference between a law and a theory is that a theory is much more complex and dynamic. A law governs a single action, whereas a theory explains a whole series of related phenomena.

An analogy can be made using a slingshot and an automobile.

A scientific law is like a slingshot. A slingshot has but one moving part--the rubber band. If you put a rock in it and draw it back, the rock will fly out at a predictable speed, depending upon the distance the band is drawn back.

An automobile has many moving parts, all working in unison to perform the chore of transporting someone from one point to another point. An automobile is a complex piece of machinery. Sometimes, improvements are made to one or more component parts. A new set of spark plugs that are composed of a better alloy that can withstand heat better, for example, might replace the existing set. But the function of the automobile as a whole remains unchanged.

A theory is like the automobile. Components of it can be changed or improved upon, without changing the overall truth of the theory as a whole.

Some scientific theories include the theory of evolution, the theory of relativity, and the quantum theory. All of these theories are well documented and proved beyond reasonable doubt. Yet scientists continue to tinker with the component hypotheses of each theory in an attempt to make them more elegant and concise, or to make them more all-encompassing. Theories can be tweaked, but they are seldom, if ever, entirely replaced.

The above was copied from here.

Redlemon · 11-23-2004, 12:10 PM

braisler, I don't disagree at all, but remember that we are in the Nonsense forum. I could have added this to one of the Creationism threads that are going on right now, but I don't have that kind of energy to argue. I think the alternate stickers are pretty funny, so I put it in Nonsense.

Also consider this one:

Quote:

This book discusses evolution. President George W. Bush said, "On the issue of evolution, the verdict is still out on how God created the Earth." Therefore, until 2008 this material shood be aproched with an open mind, studeed carefuly, and critcly consid'rd.

(sic)

Slavakion · 11-23-2004, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redlemon

Also consider this one:

Damn, you beat me to it. That one makes my head asplode. In a good way, I think.

uncle phil · 11-23-2004, 05:11 PM

i need to take my chickens for a walk and explain to them whether or not they came first...

braisler · 11-24-2004, 05:42 AM

Redlemon, apologies all around. I should look at the section heading more carefully.

I get pretty fired up when this topic comes up. Being a scientist leaves me having to defend/explain science frequently to family and friends.

If I were to live in that area, I might buy a bunch of those stickers to make available for student to put on their books. I like the GW Bush alternative sticker... see my sig below.

Averett · 11-24-2004, 05:50 AM

Quote:

President George W. Bush said, "On the issue of evolution, the verdict is still out on how God created the Earth."

I heard this on NPR stuck in traffic on Friday. How can he be so stupid? I yelled in my car "Fuck he is so STUPID!"

Fly · 11-24-2004, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Averett

How can he be so stupid?

Lottsa practice Av.....

jujueye · 11-24-2004, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Averett

I yelled in my car "Fuck he is so STUPID!"

So I'm not alone.

Good.

miyamotomusashi · 12-02-2004, 12:49 PM

"Nothing in science is deemed absolute."
W. D. Stansfield

"Religious creeds encourage some of the craziest kinds of thoughts..."
Albert Ellis

11-23-2004, 05:11 PM	#5 (permalink)
uncle phil comfortably numb... Super Moderator Location: upstate	i need to take my chickens for a walk and explain to them whether or not they came first... __________________ "We were wrong, terribly wrong. (We) should not have tried to fight a guerrilla war with conventional military tactics against a foe willing to absorb enormous casualties...in a country lacking the fundamental political stability necessary to conduct effective military and pacification operations. It could not be done and it was not done." - Robert S. McNamara ----------------------------------------- "We will take our napalm and flame throwers out of the land that scarcely knows the use of matches... We will leave you your small joys and smaller troubles." - Eugene McCarthy in "Vietnam Message" ----------------------------------------- never wrestle with a pig. you both get dirty; the pig likes it.

11-24-2004, 05:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
braisler Addict Location: Midway, KY	Redlemon, apologies all around. I should look at the section heading more carefully. I get pretty fired up when this topic comes up. Being a scientist leaves me having to defend/explain science frequently to family and friends. If I were to live in that area, I might buy a bunch of those stickers to make available for student to put on their books. I like the GW Bush alternative sticker... see my sig below. __________________ --- You do not really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother. - Albert Einstein ---

12-02-2004, 12:49 PM	#10 (permalink)
miyamotomusashi Upright Location: MA, USA	"Nothing in science is deemed absolute." W. D. Stansfield "Religious creeds encourage some of the craziest kinds of thoughts..." Albert Ellis