Phil Plait of Bad Astronomy recently lost out to PZ Mierz of Pharyngula in the contest for best blog. His penalty for not getting enough astronomy enthusiasts to cast ballots is to write something about biology.
So naturally he chooses Astrobiology as his example— a discipline without a single living example. Typical astronomer, taking the easy way out.
As I tell my students, biology is much harder than physics and astronomy. Any biologist can handle physics with their eyes closed but physics students (and Professors) are afraid of biology. It's way too messy for them.
Might like to take that up with Eigen, Schrödinger and a few others...
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a graduate student studying physics, I was assigned as a TA for the lab section of the course all the biology majors took (the one that didn't use calculus). I'd have to say that my personal experience doesn't match up with the statement that "Any biologist can handle physics with their eyes closed." That and all the money I made tutoring otherwise bright and talented biology majors while I was undergraduate before that. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm a geophysicist, and I learned a long time ago that we all have our gifts. Some of us are good at abstract mathematical models, some of us are good at descriptive models.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to give what we have, and not sweat the small stuff.
By the way, Larry . . . I love your website; Especially when I don't agree with you . . .'cause at those times I usually learn something.
I doubt that much of astrobiology is good biology and I am afraid the same is true for the astronomy in it.
ReplyDeleteSetting aside the fact that Larry is obviously engaging in non-serious scientific dick-waving, one could also note that a stereotype exists among physicists that biologists can't do math. This stereotype probably would exist among me and my fellow comp-sci students/practitioners if we weren't so hell bent on reducing every other discipline to ours.
ReplyDelete"Any biologist can handle physics with their eyes closed"
ReplyDeleteAre you saying biology has a surplus of hand amputees? %-)
Re "Any biologist can handle physics with their eyes closed"
ReplyDeleteI suggest that Prof. Moran try to understand the General Theory of Relativity or quantum electrodynamics.
slc says,
ReplyDeleteI suggest that Prof. Moran try to understand the General Theory of Relativity or quantum electrodynamics.
No problem. I just need to brush up on my tensor math.
Know any physicists who understand punctuated equilibria or gene conversion?