6/3/08

Put a little science in your life, yes you can.

Brian Green in the NYT:

"Science is the greatest of all adventure stories, one that’s been unfolding for thousands of years as we have sought to understand ourselves and our surroundings. Science needs to be taught to the young and communicated to the mature in a manner that captures this drama. We must embark on a cultural shift that places science in its rightful place alongside music, art and literature as an indispensable part of what makes life worth living.

It’s the birthright of every child, it’s a necessity for every adult, to look out on the world, as the soldier in Iraq did, and see that the wonder of the cosmos transcends everything that divides us."

And dare I say.... " Si se puede !"

Come on, I am sure you see it too, yes you can.

All jokes aside, the appeal of this wonderful article written by Dr Greene (the most sent article in NYT today ) on the need for more science in our education is the same appeal that draws people from all corners of the world to B. Obama.

When it comes to research, the need to solve the technicalities to obtain meaningful data sometimes makes us lose perspective on the beauty of the research process itself: solving the unknown.

Similarly, the main difference in this election is that winning the election at all costs is not an option for Obama. He will thrive because instead of nitpicking why he may be a better candidate than McCain or Clinton, he is reaching out to everyone's expertise (including former adversaries) to formulate the best possible policies.

He will thrive because he understands that the elections are not about spinning and hidden agendas; they are, in the words of Green, about being "able to think through and grasp explanations not because they are declared dogma but rather because they reveal patterns confirmed by experiment and observation."

On the eve of the end of the primary elections, I am anxious to hear his next speech and hopefully reach out to Clinton' supporters who might have grown to dislike him to this point.

In somewhat-related news, there is a Malagasy journalist on the campaign trail in Montana with the Clintons. And our president is mingling with the good folks of Kentucky (photo).

(Ok, that had nothing to do with this post but I just wanted to share the slightly odd pieces of info. Love the timber shirt, president ! )


(via Madagascar news)

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