Re: The intelligent agent philosophy of thinking

<hbe123@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1138339125.100093.49390@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I've made use of object-oriented programming in my coding life. But
> this post isn't about that. Instead: recently I've begun to wonder if
> thinking in object-oriented metaphors is negatively impacting
> scientific explanations.
>
> Specifically, my physics professor has been explaining Newton's laws by
> saying things like: "the ball thinks: 'no one is pushing on me,
> therefore...'"
>
> No, the ball doesn't think.
>
> The ball is not an independent agent.
>

Is the professor succeeding in teaching the class the basics of Physics.
When you are done, will you be able to express the ideas, and hopefully the
mathematics, of physics for an exam? Will you be able to apply your
new-found understanding of Physics to life situations or to further studies?

The professor is there to impart information with a hope and a prayer of
getting some portion of his or her class to actually learn. To do that, the
professor will share ideas in a way that is somehow easier to grasp.
Perhaps this is the simplest way the professor can explain it without losing
half the class in "verbal political correctness."

In teaching, you don't teach the actual science. You describe the science.
You are teaching an outline of the science. (The ball, in elementary
physics classes, rarely exhibits behaviors related to friction, or energy
loss due to vibration.) In math-speak, it is a model. Just like a clay
model of an airplane, used to test aerodynamics in a wind tunnel, the model
is "wrong" in that it is not an accurate representation of the airplane. It
is a simplified representation for a specific purpose. Similarly, the
content of a lesson is a model, designed to impart enough information to a
student that they can then continue their investigation or, at the very
least, lift the veil of ignorance around a topic.

All models are wrong. Some models are useful.

If this use of language is an obstacle to your ability to learn, then let
your professor know, one-on-one. He or she is likely to find other ways to
express the language so that you can learn. Professors rarely do their work
for the money... they love to impart knowledge. I'd be surprised if your
professor wasn't both understanding and helpful in addressing this obstacle
that you are bringing to the classroom.

--
--- Nick Malik [Microsoft]
MCSD, CFPS, Certified Scrummaster
http://blogs.msdn.com/nickmalik

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a
programmer helping programmers.
--


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