Flaming_Maniac
prince of insufficient light
+2,490|7008|67.222.138.85
I am genuinely at a loss for what to do. I'm sorry most of you reading this probably don't want to be reading schoolyard bullshit that you don't have to put up with anymore, but I am looking for some sound/unbiased advice. I would appreciate advice from some wizened members.

I have not looked into the issue fully myself, but I am planning to this weekend. My parents are involved enough to help me at a significant degree if this is a problem, I will discuss it with them sometime this weekend depending on how my further research goes.


My advanced physics class has been assigned an end of year research paper. The instructions were given in a bit of a disjointed manner, I am trying to communicate them as clearly as possible.

Objective wrote:

Investigate and review what is meant by:  “very finely tuned”
These ideas are based on specific areas of modern physics:
Einstein’s theory of relativity
The “standard model” in cosmology

Objective of education is to inoculate through knowledge against the idiodicy[sic] of many political statements.

There is a great deal in modern physics that is worthy of consideration, and the achievement of, at least, some understanding by educated adults.

Introduction instructions wrote:

Introduction should include:

Brief history of Anthropic reasoning and considerations in physics

Define and brief explain the four basic statements of the Anthropic Principle.

Note that a number of different authors have discussed these ideas.  You should compare and contrast :

1.    “Weak Anthropic Principle”

2.    “Strong Anthropic Principle”

3.    “Participatory Anthropic Principle”

4.    “Final  Anthropic Prinmciple”
When he says "very finely tuned", he is talking about the Anthropic Principle. This is primarily what I have a problem with. We must base our paper on something linked to this idea, and talk about these ideas in the first paragraph.

Wiki wrote:

The anthropic principle has given rise to some confusion and controversy, partly because the phrase has been applied to several distinct ideas. All versions of the principle have been accused of undermining the search for a deeper physical understanding of the universe. Those who invoke the anthropic principle often invoke multiple universes or an intelligent designer, both controversial and criticised for being untestable and therefore outside the purview of accepted science.
Author #1 of Anthropic Principle
Author #2 of Anthropic Principle
An example of the work by author #2, very closely related to his work on the Anthropic principle

My teacher included a disclaimer:
Please understand that this is not a study of “creationism”
Am I out of line here? Am I just being bitchy? I love playing devil's advocate, but that requires an opposing point of view that is at least sensible. I quite honestly do not know where to begin.
Narupug
Fodder Mostly
+150|5898|Vacationland
I do believe that that is just a vieled attempt to get you to reasearch creationism indirectly. If I went there my parents, I would too if, would bring the teacher, and possibly the school, up on charges of violating the constitution and I would refuse to do the project.
I am not exactly a wizened member but that's my opinion

Last edited by Narupug (2009-05-14 22:18:07)

Spark
liquid fluoride thorium reactor
+874|6976|Canberra, AUS
Hmmm... that looks suspect. There are ways to talk about the fine-tuning of the universe without even needing to mention the principle in any of its forms.
The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
~ Richard Feynman
unnamednewbie13
Moderator
+2,060|7073|PNW

I've been through something like this in civics, where the class was ostensibly being graded on how closely they politically agreed with the instructor. Things like this aren't worth haggling about. Submit a letter of protest if you want, but just do the assignment and turn it in. It'll save you from a dropped grade and a long drawn-out slugfest through administration trying to bully it back up.

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