Subject: (no subject)
From: FOSTER,Cameron (Cameron.Foster@detya.gov.au)
Date: Thu 27 Apr 2000 - 01:01:30 MEST
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2000 09:01:30 +1000 (EST) From: "FOSTER,Cameron" <Cameron.Foster@detya.gov.au>
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I think that 'truth', as discussed earlier, is not something that scientists
are aiming for. 'Truth' as I percieve it is the pursuit of philosophers and
poets with their own subjectivity. 'Facts' are things that polititians play
with.
Elizabeth de Lowerntal seems to imply a catagorial rejection of all
cultural/traditional knowledge by the scientific community. I'm not
convinced that this is entirely accurate. Science, as westerners like me
understand it, has its basis in philosophical and religious musing of the
Greeks trying to find reason and consistency in the universe they perceived.
I totally agree with her statement that western academic tradition doesn't
have all the answers but I do think that it is the most objective and
defendible way to research any subject. Each theory must be tested and
proven to the entire world...and even then can be chopped down when new
evidence comes to light. There is....or should I say shouldn't be any
'truths' or 'facts'...just theories that haven't been proven wrong yet.
This is the big difference between the scientific argument and the
traditional/cultural stance. As Elizabeth said, traditional understandings
often start with 'knowing' something...in the same way that Christian
Scientists assert that they 'know' that there was a big flood. This method
of starting with the answer and working backwards is not conducive to open
and objective observation and certainly leaves little room for questioning.
I think that a respect of these sorts of beliefs is important in the context
of nuturing cultural diversity but when those assertions cross over into the
world of science they are subject to the same rules as any other idea.
Cameron Foster
Department of Education Training & Youth Affairs
Higher Education
Operations
Educational Developments and International
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