Darwin-L Message Log 5:224 (January 1994)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<5:224>From DARWIN@iris.uncg.edu  Sun Jan 30 19:49:27 1994

Date: Sun, 30 Jan 1994 21:00:37 -0400 (EDT)
From: DARWIN@iris.uncg.edu
Subject: Moore's _Science as a Way of Knowing_
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
Organization: University of NC at Greensboro

Erast Parmasto asks about the new book _Science as a Way of Knowing_ by John
Moore.  I don't have a copy of the book myself but I saw a copy at a meeting a
while ago and know a bit about its history.  Moore is a senior zoologist
(herpetologist) who served for many years on the education committee of the
American Society of Zoologists.  About 10 or so years ago he established an
annual symposium at the ASZ meetings called "Science as a Way of Knowing",
which was designed to present up-to-date reviews of various concepts in
biology for the use of high school and college biology teachers.  A different
topic was covered each year: the first was evolution, others were genetics,
behavior, development, etc.  Moore oversaw the whole series for several years,
and then turned it over to other people on the ASZ education committee, and it
still continues today.  I participated in the "Science as a Way of Knowing --
Biodiversity" symposium a year ago.  All of the SAAWOK symposia have been
published in the journal _American Zoologist_; the biodiversity one should be
out any day now.

Moore's book, I think, is an expanded version of his own contributions to the
SAAWOK project, concentrating primarily on evolution and general biological
concepts.  I would probably disagree myself with some of his views, but as I
have spent more time teaching I have come to appreciate the practical value
books that are well organized and comprehensive whether I agree with them or
not, and I suspect that Moore's book would fit into this category.  Certainly
useful for a teacher of evolution if not necessarily for students.

Bob O'Hara, Darwin-L list owner

Robert J. O'Hara (darwin@iris.uncg.edu)
Center for Critical Inquiry and Department of Biology
100 Foust Building, University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Greensboro, North Carolina 27412 U.S.A.

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