Well, sure ...

... Put a Little Science in Your Life. (Hat tip, Dave Lull.)

I'm all for science education. When I was the editor of my college newspaper I wrote an editorial suggesting that the college drop the pro forma, non-lab biology course all arts majors had to take and replace with a two-year course in the history and methods of science, for the simple reason that to be educated means to acquainted with both arts and sciences.

But let's also be precise. "The reason science really matters runs deeper still. Science is a way of life. Science is a perspective. Science is the process that takes us from confusion to understanding in a manner that’s precise, predictive and reliable — a transformation, for those lucky enough to experience it, that is empowering and emotional." We will charitably overlook the use of that ghastly term empowering, but must add that what is being talked about here is knowledge, one form of which is science. Science may be a "process that takes us from confusion to understanding," but it is not the only such process. And scientists would do well to listen to more Debussy, look at look at some Poussins, and read some Wallace Stevens.


In the meantime, take a look at this Astronomy Picture of the Day. Also read carefully what the text says, note the dates, and think about it.