Re: DRAWING THE LINE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND POPULAR CULTURE

[Shane Leuck <s.leuck@TST-MedHat.com>]

Brian Franczak wrote:

> Fine. As long as those nicknames and colloquialisms and terms of endearment
> REMAIN in pop culture. Beyond that, it *is* a big deal, and a very serious
> issue. While it may seem trivial to some, the use of the word "raptor" to
> mean dromaeosaur and the substitution of T-Rex for _T. rex_ are symptomatic
> of a far larger, far more serious problem, and that is the blurring of the
> line between science (reality) and popular culture (fantasy). I have
> nothing against over-the-top dinosaur movies; have fun, enjoy them if
> that's your cup of tea. All I ask is that the nonsense portrayed there be
> KEPT there and not mixed-up with REAL science. Anyone who would call this
> "intellectual snobbery" needs to examine their own motivations in this
> discussion.
> 
> Brian (franczak@ntplx.net)

I agree with Brian on this point. Scientists are supposed to be the
caretakers of ACCURATE scientific information. For a scientist to use
inaccurate terms or improper names could give the wrong impression to
the general public. Scientists have certain responsibilities to live up
to. One of those responsibilities, I would think, would be to strive for
accuracy wherever and whenever possible.
This is just a laymans point of view.
Regards,
Shane Leuck
-- 
The Gateway Country Fossil Page
http://www.tst-medhat.com/~s.leuck