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  • 02-07-2009 2:59pm
    #1
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭


    I'm not sure if this is feasible but i'll throw it out there anyway,

    I was recently debating something on CT with another poster concerning astronomy. I have been picking at the subject for a long time but only recently got around to making time to study it properly. Anyway, Jammy dodger replied and we had a brief exchange, which set me off looking for more information.

    Through one of the posted links in the sticky (www.academicearth.org) I began viewing the lecture series 'Introduction to Astrophysics', which has been both fascinating and informative - given the response to some of the topics around in the same vein, I suspect there may be a few posters with a similar interest.

    Is there any interest in perhaps designating a topic - such as the one above for example, agreeing to a regular viewing schedule and subseuent discussion/comment? It seems like such an excellent resource, and the range of topics available is broad.

    I have participated in something similar before (I work in social science and did something similar for a Capital reading group), and it seemed to work ok.

    Any thoughts? I know these things tend to drop participants along the way, but is it worth attempting?


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    #2
    thusspakeblixa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,910 ✭✭✭thusspakeblixa


    I'd definitely be interested.
    I'm finished work in 2 weeks, I'd have loads of time for it then. Otherwise I have time at weekends (aside from this weekend).


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    #3
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Yah, that's a brilliant idea.

    I'd be up for it anyway (depending on what the topic is decided to be, of course), I'm off for the summer so I've lots of time to burn. Great idea.


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    #4
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    thusspakeblixa wrote: »
    I'd definitely be interested.
    I'm finished work in 2 weeks, I'd have loads of time for it then. Otherwise I have time at weekends (aside from this weekend).

    I understand it would probably be difficult to maintain interest over time, particularly if it is a long course (the astrophysics course is 24 lecture hours). Perhaps a trial sub-forum with a vote on a particular program of study would work? If there were a way to compile a list of topics to put to vote and proceed from there?

    Or it may be best to work on a themed article discussion format if the lecture series is too restrictive - perhaps set a weekly article (something substantial) and open for discussion for a few days before moving on? A weekly rotated sticky with a set reading piece sourced from a broad topic (eg astronomy, political science, biology....) could be more managable, rather than getting into sub-fora?


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    #5
    Mahatma coat
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,869 ✭✭✭Mahatma coat


    Sounds like a good idea, I know a few lads in the CT forum that would be up for it, depending obviously on the topic chosen, but Astrophysics looks like as good a place as any to start.


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    #6
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Would there be many people interested in getting one of these going? I'd like to get an idea of numbers.


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    #7
    thusspakeblixa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,910 ✭✭✭thusspakeblixa


    -JammyDodger- wrote: »
    Would there be many people interested in getting one of these going? I'd like to get an idea of numbers.
    I've already said it, but as long as it it's mainly weekends I'm up for it.


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    #8
    TheManWho
    Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭TheManWho


    How would the topic be chosen?


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    #9
    Ian C
    Closed Accounts Posts: 70 ✭✭Ian C


    I'd potentially be up for it, depending perhaps on the topic. Just after launching into the Game Theory course, so that should hold my attention until we get the numbers for this! :D


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    #10
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    thusspakeblixa wrote: »
    I've already said it, but as long as it it's mainly weekends I'm up for it.

    I'm sure we could do it in such a way that people could watch the videos/read the articles whenever they want, then discuss it starting from a fixed date. Or something like that.
    TheManWho wrote: »
    How would the topic be chosen?

    Perhaps people could suggest several different topics, then when a general consensus of 5/6 or however many topics is agreed upon, we could put it to a poll.

    There are a lot of finer points that would need to be ironed out, but we'll leave that until we get decent numbers (I'm thinking at least 10, anyway).


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    #11
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    -JammyDodger- wrote: »
    I'm sure we could do it in such a way that people could watch the videos/read the articles whenever they want, then discuss it starting from a fixed date. Or something like that.



    Perhaps people could suggest several different topics, then when a general consensus of 5/6 or however many topics is agreed upon, we could put it to a poll.

    There are a lot of finer points that would need to be ironed out, but we'll leave that until we get decent numbers (I'm thinking at least 10, anyway).

    Could we try a poll? For interest and possibly for topic?


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    #12
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    efla wrote: »
    Could we try a poll? For interest and possibly for topic?

    Yah, sure.

    I'd like to get a general idea on what topics to put in the poll, though. Any ideas?


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    #13
    TheManWho
    Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭TheManWho


    You could do two polls, the first one picking the catagory and the second picking the topic.

    So the options for the first could be
    Physics
    Politics
    The Enviornment
    Astronomy
    Biology
    Social science

    And then the second poll could decide on a specific topic from one of the above.


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    #14
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    TheManWho wrote: »
    You could do two polls, the first one picking the catagory and the second picking the topic.

    So the options for the first could be
    Physics
    Politics
    The Enviornment
    Astronomy
    Biology
    Social science

    And then the second poll could decide on a specific topic from one of the above.

    Sounds good, I think the idea of following a complete programme on the scale of a full lecture series wouldn't work too well. Perhaps a series of papers instead? The initial poll could keep it to specific disciplines?

    As above, but maybe limited to social science, astronomy, biology, etc and then maybe probe for sub topics.

    This could be over-thinking it also; it may be best to single out a paper or reading at the start of each week, agree to read by a certain time (say, wednesday), and then discuss...? Judging by the forum content, it seems to be largely natural science as opposed to social.

    Does anyone have any particular expertise to start with?


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    #15
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    I think you might be right: we may be over-thinking this completely.

    Perhaps the best approach is to just pick an article/short video series etc. and just go from there.

    As for expertise, I've none.


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    #16
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    I'm a sociologist by trade, I can dig out some suitable readings if there is any interest at some point.

    My own preference: At the moment I'm keen on astronomy/astrophysics/cosmology at a very basic level, and judging by the forum content, this may be a good place to start?


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    #17
    thusspakeblixa
    Registered Users Posts: 1,910 ✭✭✭thusspakeblixa


    I'll just say that I do political science and social studies in college, so my preference would be to do something else at a purely introductory level.


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    #18
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Ok, that rules out pretty much everything on the social science side of things.

    I'm up for pretty much anything, really. So, as soon as someone suggests something I'm pretty sure I'll agree. I'll have a look around and I'll see if I can find any good (short) lecture series.


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    #19
    TheManWho
    Closed Accounts Posts: 264 ✭✭TheManWho


    Is it worth a subforum?, or do you need an administrators approval for one of those.


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    #20
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    TheManWho wrote: »
    Is it worth a subforum?, or do you need an administrators approval for one of those.

    It would need administrators approval. Unfortunately, the forum isn't generating enough traffic at the moment to warrent a sub-forum. Let's hope the traffic/posting starts to pick up in the next new weeks/months (although all new forums experience a slow growth after their creation).


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    #21
    A Neurotic
    Registered Users Posts: 3,779 ✭✭✭A Neurotic


    I'm also up for this. No particular topic preference... I'm easy.


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    #22
    Fremen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    I'd be intereted in something like that, yeah. Personally, I'd go for something science-y. I'll keep my eyes open for topic suggestions over the next few days.


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    #23
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #24
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    A doctorate in modernist poetics? That's very interesting; I've no problem with a doctorate in poetics... But in modernist poetics? You could have at least done your thesis on poetry that was good.:P (Just kidding).

    There seems to be a general consensus that the topic of discussion won't be related to the social sciences. A few people have expressed an interest in astronomy/astrophysics. Would this suit everybody? If we could decide on a specific area, it would be a lot easier to find an article/lecture series for discussion.


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    #25
    Ostrom
    Registered Users Posts: 3,483 ✭✭✭Ostrom


    How about some basic cosmology? Or perhaps something that presents a kuhn style overview of paradigmatic change throughout the history of astronomy? That would allow us to criticise different models by examining developments in areas such as mathematics / experimentation and the work of key individuals (galileo, newton, keplar) from first principles


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    #26
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #27
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    It's good to see you mention Wordsworth, there's some hope yet! Modernism has never been my cup of tea.
    efla wrote: »
    How about some basic cosmology? Or perhaps something that presents a kuhn style overview of paradigmatic change throughout the history of astronomy? That would allow us to criticise different models by examining developments in areas such as mathematics / experimentation and the work of key individuals (galileo, newton, keplar) from first principles

    That's exactly what I've been thinking about too. I think it'd be a perfect way to start. I've been looking through some lecture series' to try to find something that matches what you've said, I think I may have found one that suits. I'll have a look through it and post it tomorrow.


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    #28
    Fremen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    efla wrote: »
    How about some basic cosmology? Or perhaps something that presents a kuhn style overview of paradigmatic change throughout the history of astronomy? That would allow us to criticise different models by examining developments in areas such as mathematics / experimentation and the work of key individuals (galileo, newton, keplar) from first principles

    Not a bad idea. The Perimeter institute in theoretical physics record public lectures from time to time. I found this one in particular fascinating. It's a discussion about the modern perception of Galileo. Everyone knows the story of how the church forced him to recant, but in fact, given the information available at the time, the geocentric model was just as valid as his heliocentric model. (link for the forum sticky here).

    I think efla's on to something. A topic in the rigorous sciences might not leave much to talk about. There's only so much you can say after watching a lecture on, say, conservation of angular momentum. Something with a little leeway for personal opinion or discussion would be a good idea, and the history of science might bring people up to a modern standard of scientific knowledge without bogging them down in technicalities.


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    #29
    Permabear
    Closed Accounts Posts: 39,022 ✭✭✭✭Permabear


    This post has been deleted.


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    #30
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 4,630 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Fremen, that video you've linked to seems perfect: it's not too short, and it deals with the topic which we've agreed would be perfect. Would people like this as the topic of our first discussion?


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    #31
    Fremen
    Registered Users Posts: 2,481 ✭✭✭Fremen


    -JammyDodger- wrote: »
    Fremen, that video you've linked to seems perfect: it's not too short, and it deals with the topic which we've agreed would be perfect. Would people like this as the topic of our first discussion?

    Thanks JammyDodger. Believe it or not, I wrote that while I was drunk.


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