Crimson Wife Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 So yesterday we were at a park day which featured a curriculum show-and-tell. The theme was science materials, and someone brought a copy of Joy Hakim's "Story of Science: Einstein" book. My kids looked at the book and were really excited by it. I had been disappointed in the anti-Christian bias shown in the SoS: Aristotle volume, so I hadn't gotten any of the others. Obviously, I won't be able to get the Newton book because it'll have discussions of Copernicus and Galileo that I'm likely to find highly problematic. But I'm wondering about the Einstein book. Is there any place in it where Ms. Hakim shows major anti-Christian bias? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 6, 2013 Share Posted July 6, 2013 On the one hand, I'm totally the wrong person to answer, because I'm not offended by anything in the first two books . . . but since I get what bugged you about Aristotle (and I think I understand what would bug you in Newton), I'll take a stab. It does cover scientific theories like the big bang, and next to the last chapter talks about the search for extraterrestrial life. Don't know if those bother you. In the second chapter, it recaps scientific history from the Newton book very quickly. So Copernicus, Galileo, etc., get about 3 paragraphs. "Heretical" is defined in the margin. But that's about all I could find. It's mostly dealing with scientific discoveries of the 20th century, but in physics not biology, so unless you don't want Big Bang cosmology, I don't think it will be much of a problem for you. Hopefully you'll get a more relevant response, but I hope that helped a little bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 I'm not a YEC, so I don't have any problems with a discussion of the Big Bang (IIRC the scientist who first proposed the Big Bang was a priest). Thanks for your input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 That's what I thought. Glad I could help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Hmmmm... Should I go re-read these? I missed something... If you have any page numbers or chapters to point me to it might save me some time... I won't censor from DS, but might discuss if it is problematic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 8, 2013 Share Posted July 8, 2013 Jen, are you asking about the Einstein book, or the others? If I knew what you would find problematic, I might be able to help . . . I have all 3 books. Feel free to pm if you'd rather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NittanyJen Posted July 9, 2013 Share Posted July 9, 2013 I'm unlikely to find much problematic, other than a dogmatic statement that there is no God or that Christians are illogical idiots incapable of intelligent thought. Even those statements I will usually just discuss with my kids rather than hide them-- they live in the real world, so we discuss the world views held by others, and even listen to the people who feel that way to find out how they got there. I have found that my kids have a strong enough foundation that such conversations do not shake their faith, and they become more informed about the real world by understanding its diversity . . . but it's nice to have a heads-up so we can discuss :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 The first volume repeats an anecdote that has been debunked (St. Cyril supposedly ordering the Library of Alexandria to be burned) as fact because it fits Ms. Hakim's beliefs about the Christian Church being anti-science. http://www.firstthings.com/onthesquare/2010/06/the-perniciously-persistent-myths-of-hypatia-and-the-great-library Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I see what you mean. I have all the books and am planning on using Newton this year. I'm going to be reading through einstein this week and will keep an eye out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 I wanted to add that the more I read these books, the more I don't like her writing style. I know she is trying to appeal to middle graders, but the tone is often flippant, which gets annoying. Not just about the church, about everything. I liked her History of the U.S. books better. But with these I'm definitely looking for other resources and only using these in chunks. I'm not sure most students are really going to come away with a good idea of the history of science from these books. I know it's an ambitious thing for a writer to tackle, but there's just something that doesn't work as well as I'd like in the writing and organization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 10, 2013 Share Posted July 10, 2013 It's funny, Penelope, because I have the same feeling about the history books - I really dislike the tone/writing style, but we liked the style in Aristotle (that's the only one we've finished) fine. So there's definitely something offputting for some about her writing style, but it's hard to pin down . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoCal Sandra Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 It's funny, Penelope, because I have the same feeling about the history books - I really dislike the tone/writing style, but we liked the style in Aristotle (that's the only one we've finished) fine. So there's definitely something offputting for some about her writing style, but it's hard to pin down . . . When dss began reading her history books in 5th grade they said her tone was condescending. Is that what you experienced? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrysalis Academy Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 Pretty much. The tone was kind of flippant, condescending, a little off. I don't get that effect from the science books, though - but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Penelope Posted July 11, 2013 Share Posted July 11, 2013 I think some of it is attempts, in places, to cram lots of information into a couple of paragraphs, coupled with attempts at humor, which sometimes fall flat. Here's an example from the Newton book. After spending umpteen (4 or 5, anyway) chapters on Galileo, his life and scientific studies, she describes how he came to be under papal inquiry, then says something like, "read a biography of Galileo to find out what happened." I found this strange in what is supposed to be a history narrative. There are lots of little things. I think she mostly did a good job with a huge amount of material, though. In Einstein, I have a couple of quibbles so far with the way she presents some things, but nothing major that I wouldn't normally just discuss with my child regarding questionable presentation or difference of opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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