I personally think there are Christian schools that manage to provide a quality education via the lens of faith, but stuff like this page from a science textbook for fourth graders published by Bob Jones University (an academic institution perhaps best known for having a decades-long ban on interracial dating) isn’t helping. At all.
Then again, perhaps this particular curriculum was inspired by Professors Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope:
This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2011.
I think what Prof. Jones is really lamenting is the failure of modern physics to account for the infinities that arise from calculations of the electron’s self-interaction, resorting instead to so-called “renormalization,” which some would view as hokey formalism or mathematical “hand waving.”
“Electricity is a mystery. No one has ever observed it or heard it or felt it. We can see and hear and feel only what electricity does.”
Then I guess nobody has ever seen lightning or heard thunder… or been electrocuted.
Now there’s a mystery.
He really does touch on an important point. Should current renormalization methods be viewed as suspect because they don’t seem to arise from first principles? The “Shut up and calculate” camp would suppose not, because it produces accurate predictions. But is it not possible that a kind of “empirical chauvinism” might prevent inquisitive minds from pursuing avenues that lead to better theory? This is actually a really sophisticated debate for a 4th grade text book. I applaud Jones for finding a way to make something this nuanced accessible to young minds!
I highly doubt he’s referencing the quantum field theory and introducing renormalization to 4th graders. More importantly, I think we should all take a moment to really appreciate the CGI in this moving piece presented by ICP.