Re: ontological breakdown

[peterr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Peter Rauch)]

>Date: Fri, 25 Aug 1995 08:42:48 -0600 (MDT)
>From: Christopher Whittle <cwhittle@kafka.sipi.tec.nm.us>

>Yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus.  This is the trend in real museums.  
>Visitors don a backpack and go collect data, or get blasted by the heat 
>as they enter the cone of a volcano, they are immersed in darkness and a 
>cool breeze rushes by them as they enter a cave. They walk among beasts 
>that roar and leaves that flutter.

Touche', or perhaps I should extend your argument about virtual vs
real, to say that these "virtual" field trips can't really substitute
for a "real" field trip to the woods.....? Rob Guralnick, UCMP grad
student has argued numerous times that this comparison of "real" vs
"virtual" is specious.  I agree. They are two different, complementary
beasts.

>  A brief review of the literature will indicate how 
>little the average public truly understands about science.  As museums 
>become more interesting to people they will spend more of their time in 
>museums.

No doubt --regardless of whether those museums come through the display
screen, or the visitors walk through the museum door.
 
[Peter said earlier]
>> Reality, as the other person suggested, is a philosophical and varied place.

>Reality can be found by looking at the demographic statistics of the 
>museum's vistors.

And by examining the visitor stats of those web visits too.

>Reality is not only white middle class.

Hmmm, just as varied as I suggested above --is that what you mean?
Peter