The National Center for Science Education reports that the third draft (pdf) of Texas's science standards is now available, and the "strengths and weaknesses" catchphrase is notably missing.
According to the NCSE, some other changes in the third draft are also notable:
In its discussion of the nature of science, the third draft is similar but not identical to the first draft. According to the first draft, "Science uses observational evidence to make predictions of natural phenomena and to construct testable explanations. If ideas are based upon purported forces outside of nature, they cannot be tested using scientific methods." The third draft reads, "Science, as defined by the National Academy of Sciences, is the 'use of evidence to construct testable explanations and predictions of natural phenomena, as well as the knowledge generated through this process.' ... Students should know that some questions are outside the realm of science because they deal with phenomena that are not scientifically testable."
As we have consistently argued on this blog, REAL science recognizes it's limits. That means it only works with phenomena that can be independently verified by observations or empirical tests. This approach to the study of the natural world has proven to be extremely conducive to the advancement of scientific knowledge. It is the way science is practiced around the world today, and students in Texas should learn about it.
Of course, since this approach cannot rule out the existence of non-verifiable phenomena, any claims about the existence or non-existence of such phenomena are not scientific. This limitation of science is something that people on both sides of the argument in Texas should be able to agree upon.
We'll just have to wait and see.
posted by Jeremy Mohn
