🚀 go-pugleaf

Four years ago:

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v433/n7023/full/433218a.html
The journal Nature: "EINSTEIN RESTORED FAITH IN THE UNINTELLIGIBILITY
OF SCIENCE. Everyone knew that Einstein had done something important
in 1905 (and again in 1915) but almost nobody could tell you exactly
what it was. When Einstein was interviewed for a Dutch newspaper in
1921, he attributed his mass appeal to the mystery of his work for the
ordinary person: "Does it make a silly impression on me, here and
yonder, about my theories of which they cannot understand a word? I
think it is funny and also interesting to observe. I am sure that it
is the mystery of non-understanding that appeals to them...it
impresses them, it has the colour and the appeal of the mysterious."

Recent repentance:

http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/op_ed/hc-thorson0326.artmar26,0,3136853.column
"Albert Einstein strengthened science through his contributions, but
he may have inadvertently crippled science education through his
example. This notion is supported by an editorial, "Redefining Science
Education," published in January by Bruce Alberts, editor in chief of
the journal Science. His main concern is that "many college-educated
adults in the United States," including teachers, "fail to understand
that science is a way of knowing completely different from mysticism,
tradition and faith." Science is based on "evidence that can be
logically and independently verified," rather than on personal
authority."

Too late perhaps. Potemkin villages will disappear some day but
"mysticism, tradition and faith" in science will remain:

http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/hutchison/080616

Pentcho Valev
pvalev@yahoo.com