Re: direct vs. indirect forces

[John Denker <jsd@MONMOUTH.COM>]

At 11:17 PM 8/24/99 +1000, Brian McInnes wrote:
> I think that in a forum for physics educators we should be bearing in
> mind how to make our teaching as clear and non-confusing as possible.

Yes, we should bear that in mind.  I guess the question is what's
"possible" and what's not.

> I am
> well used to the way we speak and the corners we cut because of
> unstated assumptions that we are usually aware of.

Yes, that's the other side of the coin.  I claim a certain amount of
corner-cutting is not only necessary but beneficial.

Some of my students are infuriated when they get a multiple-choice test
that says "choose the best answer" rather than "choose the RIGHT answer".
I have to tell the to lighten up.  In the real world, when somebody asks a
question, the question is almost never stated perfectly.

I've seen people lose their jobs (really, really good jobs) partly because
of a tendency to refuse to answer questions unless the question was phrased
perfectly.  Maybe they thought they were upholding the sacred purity of
Science.

Physics is a natural science, not an exact science.  Simplifying
approximations are everywhere.  We can live with that, and we must teach
our students to live with it.