Prompt Post #6 - Evaluating Science

   By Dan O        
          
        The field of physics is full of amazing things, from quantum mechanics, special relativity and neutrinos. It's a wonder why we don't start with the amazing stuff before everything students see as boring, such as newton's laws or electricity and magnetism. At MSU, these classes are PHY 183 and 184, They're the first classes many students will take when interacting with physics.
        However, Chad Orzel, from Forbes takes a new approach to this ideology. We teach physics in the way that we do, not because of preference, or because students HAVE to know it, but because it works. These topics are the topics that have real value to the students learning them, and this is true regardless of the student's major. Professors know, that most students taking these classes aren't taking them for a deep and utter love of physics -sadly- but because they need the requirement to graduate, to them, physics is only a formality to be overcome.

          For example, for engineers, physics is a daily part of their job, but only classical physics. Mechanical engineers need Newtonian mechanics to understand how everything operates, and gain a basic understanding of friction, force, and other physical concepts. For electrical engineers, electricity and magnetism is their entire career. E&M includes how a circuit operates, or how a conductor creates electrical charge.

         Physics has amazing parts of it, that should not be ignored. However, we must focus on what really matters first, before one mentions things such as special relativity or quantum mechanics, we must focus on what is important.

References: Orzel, C. (2016, April 8). Why Do We Teach 'Old Physics?' Because It Works. Retrieved April 11, 2016, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/chadorzel/2016/04/08/why-do-we-teach-old-physics-because-it-works/#1430021c58a2

Image: http://www.forbes.com/sites/chadorzel/2016/04/08/why-do-we-teach-old-physics-because-it-works/#1430021c58a2