The Gift of Persuasion: Views of the Universe

Introduction
Humans have been thinking about the nature of the Universe for a very long time.
How was it formed? How big is it? What is its shape? What holds it together?
Questions like these have proved very challenging, and a variety of interesting
answers have been proposed for them over the course of time. These answers have
been influenced by a number of factors. Some of these influences have been
cultural: what, for example, are the dominant religious beliefs of a society and
what do those religious beliefs say about the nature of the Universe? What do the
authority figures of a society say about the Universe, and why do people take their
opinions seriously? Other influences relate to the nature of science and a societys
ability to actually explore the Universe: what was the scientific outlook of a group
of people, for example, that gave rise to a particular view of the Universe? What
techniques and technologies did scientists have available to them in that time
period for studying the Universe? In the end, the most powerful answers to
questions about the Universe show the influence of cultural and technological
scientific factors.

In your group, prepare an argument, delivered in presentation format, about why
your view of the Universe is most important to the society in which it developed
and contributed the most to collective learning. You will be trying to persuade your
peers to believe your view of the Universe.

Questions your group should think about
1. What were the most important cultural and scientific influences on the
development of this view of the Universe? Aka research culture of the era
your scientist lived.
2. How does the development of this view of the Universe contribute to
collective learning (either by building on previous views of the Universe or
laying the foundation for later views, or both)?
3. What are points to support your position?
4. What are potential arguments people will question you with? How could you
refute them?


To do:

1. Make a copy of this doc, title it with your scientist, share it with your group
members and teachers (muracoc@northeasternsd.org
muracom@northeasternsd.org)
2. Determine who will be role playing your scientists (dress up as them for
extra credit) and who are the lab assistants
3. Create an opening statement with a thesis of why people should believe your
thinking.
4. Help identify material to support the groups position
5. Help create a list of arguments that other groups will use to argue for their
view and against your groups position
6. Help create a closing statement to reinforce your points
7. Create a visual that represents your model of the Universe (extra credit if it
is food)- you can make it a demonstration
8. You can use this doc as a place to brainstorm, format your arguments, etc.