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Re: COLLISION

I certainly sustain Leigh's views here. Short hand language is OK and
indeed sometimes helpful, but there are times when we need to say it
correctly in order to keep our thinking straight -- and we need to remind
ourselves continually. We also need to be sure that each member of a
conversation (or class) is on the same page -- as Leigh describes below. I
sometimes wonder if each of _us_ is on the same page.

Jim

At 11:09 AM 26-11-99 -0800, you wrote:
>>The problem here as I see it is that we want to use supposedly convenient
>>shorthand language and then we forget it is short hand.

I have to keep reminding my students that I have adopted the
caloric metaphor when I speak, e.g., of "energy transfer". I
*do* remind them, however! I can't protect them from the
outside world, nor do I want to. I can influence their view
of that world, however, and that's what I'm doing when I
teach.

Leigh

Jim Green
mailto:JMGreen@sisna.com
http://users.sisna.com/jmgreen