Re: turf problems

[Mickey Harris <harrism@mace.cc.purdue.edu>]

> 
> Interestingly enough most questions on the list begin with a 
> "praxis" question and develop into theory as we consider different 
> ways and reasons for handling the question. Maybe that's the nature 
> of the beast. We all work in the "ivory tower" (although most are 
> slugging it out at the clay foot of that tower [how's that for a 
> mixed metaphor?]). The nature of academia is to have theory to 
> support praxis, or to develop praxis from theory. Either way theory 
> has become the soul of that beast. And that is our training. 

> deany
> 

Deany and other friends,while we may think this way, I had an
interesting glimpse into one student's mindset (and I'm tempted to
think it represents a larger group than that kid) when reading over my
husband's shoulder last night as he was browsing through some written
responses from students in his physics class. A comment from one   
guy yesterday (about the day's lecture) was something like this: "When
you talk about the theory, I say 'yah, right,' but when you go on to
show that it's been proven by experiment, I say 'wow, really!' " I'm
assuming from this that theory isn't exactly venerated by some. Or is
it part of the learning process to begin to see the need for theory? 
-- 
Mickey Harris
harrism@mace.cc.purdue.edu