sci.physics.electromag

Timo A. Nieminen wrote:

> [And a general, but not linearly connected response to the rest of your
> post:]
>
> A very large part of physics is done by beginners. Students and postdocs
> are the fuel thrown in the fire of research in physics. They produce the
> results, but they are inexperienced. This surely affects the way they
> write papers. Equations have a place in scientific communication, but it
> seems at times that they are overused. Jargon, too.

AMEN!
And even worse is that such overuse, leads to an assumption that
physics IS mathematics which, of course, it is not. Rules of
mathematics are ARBITRARY and may or may not conform to "reality".
Indeed, "pure" mathematicians tend to prefer that they do not!

> One of my students challenged me to do a conference presentation not only
> with no equations on the overheads, but also no words. Pictures only. I'm
> still working on it. Not so easy.

Heh! A try at a "physics appreciation" lecture! It's only difficult
because you are actually trying to make it good and effective. If you
just figured it was for education majors who were never going to "get
it" anyway, the making of a "Darkness at Noon" [name given to Art
History courses] physics 101 course is a lot easier.

Benj