Some Big Battles in Science

Environmental & Science Education, STEM, History of Science, Nature of Science

Ed Hessler

In a book on teaching elementary science, the late Mary Budd Rowe, called attention to two characteristics of science: it is a social enterprise but not always a sociable one.

Sabine Hossenfelder talks "about some epic fights among scientists that show very much that scientists...are only human." She tells us "who dissed whom and why"as well she writes what we can "learn from that." These are classic disputes and quite well known, at least within the disciplines represented.

You know my druthers in watching and listening to this great video series. While it may be watched on YouTube, the original posting (15m 43s) includes the transcript and the two, listening and reading, are, I find, a powerful combination although I acknowledge reading the transcript is faster.

I recall talking with an elementary science teacher once about the level of dispute, rancorous at times, that scientists sometimes engage in, e.g., refusing to be in the same room with the scientist with whom he disagreed. I loved her response which came close to saying they deserved a trip to the woodshed, although she would be one of the very last people I know who would do that. herself.