by Jeffrey Graf

Created on: March 05, 2010   Last Updated: March 18, 2010

Science has an ever evolving role in our society. In many cases, once an institution or program comes into being, it is already on the verge of being obsolete. In the historical, or traditional roles of science, it played a role clearly distinct from popular culture. The popularity of both cable TV and the internet have changed that. On cable TV, channels like the

Myth Busters do present a methodological epistemology that is representative of scientific method. Is it possible to light a match with a bullet? Can a corked bat hit a ball further than a solid bat? While not burning scientific questions, the length that Jamie and Adam must go through to test such hypothesis is in fact representative of scientific method. In fact, most scientific laboratories are rather specialized, and would have great difficulty rigging a pitching machine and bat swinging apparatus accurately enough to hit a baseball, or fire a gun accurately enough to brush against he head of a match. Most importantly, we introduce viewers to the concept of an epistemology supported by evidence of demonstration an calculation. Thanks to MythBusters, we will have a generation which will expect the conjecture we are confronted with in our everyday lives to stand up to the test of demonstration, and the possibility of being classified as, supported, plausible, or the ever popular, BUSTED!.

How well are our traditional institutions stand up to the challenge of a better educated, and more scientifically aware public? The judgment seems to vary. This week I took the opportunity to visit an institute which plays a pivotal role in the countries and the worlds climate and oceanographic science effort, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute (HBOI), now part of Florida Atlantic University. Since this was going to be a day trip because of the traveled distance for me, and the desire to move through Miami during off traffic hours, I decided also visit the Miami Seaquarium next door to RSMAS on Virginia Key.

  I was hoping that the Seaquarium would be more than a tourist oriented location, perhaps because of its proximity to RSMAS. The shows at the Seaquarium were great, but not from a science and society standpoint. In particular, there was no obvious interaction or cooperation between RSMAS and the Seaquarium. I considered this a missed opportunity.

So, as afternoon waned, I changed into a suit and moved on to Rosensteil. RSMAS is a gated facility, with all the outward warmth

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