685
I love science (lemmy.zip)
submitted 10 months ago by to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
111 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] -4 points 10 months ago* (5 children)

Maybe they're trying to say that science (at least, Phys) without advanced calculus is "just" outreach or popularization. And they're right, even if your sensibility can't accept it.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 5 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago* (4 children)

    Does an F1 driver need to understand and utilize advanced calculus on the track to do well? I feel that concepts like grip/slip, aero, centripetal force, and weight transfer are intimately linked to an intuition for physics, even if they aren't being understood at a calculus-requiring level by the driver.

    Yet, I would struggle to call that situation "outreach" or "popularizarion." I would still consider the driver's understanding of physics as tangential to science.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago)

    IMO you need basic calculus to understand the laws of physics. Like at least to understand that the derivative is the rate of change, the integral is the area under the curve, the fundamental theorem(s) of calculus, and what limits are. You don't necessarily need to do δ-ε proofs, but at least the qualitative stuff is worth teaching.

    I took algebra-based physics for my music degree and then calculus-based physics for my engineering degree. Algebra-based physics explained basically nothing for me and had zero impact on my understanding of the world. Calculus-based physics will stick with me forever.

    Like I'm with you that outreach is important and should not be dismissed, but I really don't see the utility of algebra-based physics.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 10 months ago (2 children)

    A F1 driver is not a scientist. And no, you're wrong.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 10 months ago* (1 child)

    I know they're not a scientist. But to say they have no grasp or interest in science would also be wrong, so I think the answer lies somewhere in the gray area, and not this black and white perspective presented in OP.

    You can be enthusiastic and have a simplified-but-robust understanding of some kinds of science, that doesn't make you less of an enjoyer. But there are certainly people who only understand at a surface level, yet pretend to be immersed in the material and demand to be treated like experts.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •