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Colloquium
Thursday, October 22, 2009, 12:15 p.m., SCIC 126
Physics
for Realists
Dr. Murray S. Daw, R. A. Bowen Professor of Physics
Clemson University
Abstract:
In the science of nature, our first task will be
to try to determine what relates to its principles. The natural way of
doing this is to start from the things which are more knowable and obvious
to us and proceed towards those which are what is more clear and more
knowable by its nature.--- Aristotle (Physics)
[Modern science] takes common sense for granted.--- J. Robert
Oppenheimer (Science and the Common
Understanding)
The last word from modern science is not the
first word that the human mind can utter about nature. The modern scientist
forms notions about physical things long before he starts his specialized
work.---Vincent
Smith (Science of Nature)
We should start the science of physics by
studying the simplest physical things that are directly accessible to our
senses.---
Anthony Rizzi (Physics
for Realists)
These quotes point out that there are
fundamental principles of nature that we necessarily use when beginning
to do science, which therefore form the foundation of science. These
fundamental principles are always present for the scientist, whether they
are explicitly understood or simply implicitly assumed. Recent work by
Anthony Rizzi which brings to light these fundamental
principles has led to fresh insights into physics. Based on these
principles, Rizzi has written a new freshman
physics textbook, Physics for
Realists. In this presentation, we will explore the textbook`s
widely untaught principles. We find that the use of solid first-principles
benefits the students` understanding, and also that the thoughtful teacher
can learn nearly as much as the students. Finally, we address how these
principles can be used to make all physical science more rigorous.
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