What is the nature of the scientific attitude, the attitude of the man or woman who studies and applies physics, biology, chemistry, geology, engineering, medicine or any other science?

    We all know that science plays an important role in our societies. However, many people believe that our progress depends on two different aspects of science. The first aspect is the application of the machines, products and systems of knowledge that scientists and technologists develop. The second is the application of the special methods of thought and action that scientists use in their work.

    What are these special methods of thinking and acting? First of all, it seems that a successful scientist is curious - he wants to find out how and why the universe works. He usually pays attention to problems which he notices have no satisfying explanation, and looks for relationships even if the data available seem to be unconnected. Moreover, he thinks he can improve the existing conditions and enjoys trying to solve the problems which this involves.

    He is a good observer, accurate, patient and objective and uses the facts he observes to the fullest. For example, trained observers obtain a very large amount of information about a star mainly from the accurate analysis of the simple lines that appear in a spectrum(光谱).

    He does not accept statements which are not based on the most complete evidence available. He rejects authority as the only basis for truth. Scientists always check statements and make experiments carefully and objectively.

    Furthermore, he does not readily accept his own idea, since he knows that man is the least reliable of scientific instruments and that a number of factors tend to disturb objective investigation.

    Lastly, he is full of imagination since he often has to look for relationships in data which are not only complex but also frequently incomplete. Furthermore, he needs imagination if he wants to guess how processes work and how events take place.

    These seem to be some of the ways in which a successful scientist or technologist thinks and acts.

    On a hill 600 feet above the surrounding land, we watch the lines of rain move across the scene, the moon rise over the hills, and the stars appear in the sky. The views invite a long look from a comfortable chair in front of the wooden house.

    Every window in our wooden house has a view, and the forest and lakes seldom look the same as the hour before. Each look reminds us where we are.
    There is space for our three boys to play outside, to shoot arrows, collect tree seeds, build earth houses and climb trees.

    Our kids have learned the names of the trees, and with the names have come familiarity and appreciation. As they tell all who show even a passing interest, maple (枫树) makes the best fighting sticks and white pines are the best climbing trees.

    The air is clean and fresh. The water from the well has a pleasant taste, and it is perhaps the healthiest water our kids will ever drink. Though they have one glass a day of juice and the rest is water, they never say anything against that.

    The seasons change just outside the door. We watch the maples turn every shade of yellow and red in the fall and note the poplars' (杨树) putting out the first green leaves of spring. The rainbow smelt fills the local steam as the ice gradually disappears, and the wood frogs start to sing in pools after being frozen for the winter. A family of birds rules our skies and flies over the lake.

    Sheffield

    Lincoln College of English

    Classes for foreign students at all levels.

    3 months, 6 months, 9 months and one year course.

    Open all year.

    Small class (at most 12 students).

    Library, language laboratory and listening center.

    Accommodation (住宿) with selected families.

    25 minutes from London.

    Course fees for English for one year are ￡ 1,380 with reduction for shorter periods of study.

    Sunrise Hike

Saturday, October 21, 6:45 am—7:45 am

    Enjoy sunrise from the hilltop as you learn about wildlife, plants, history and forest. Ages 8 and up; under 18 with an adult. To register (报名)by phone, call 630-933-7248.

    Meet in the parking lot on the west side of Greene Road south of 79^th Street. Dress for the weather, wear comfortable shoes and bring water.

    Trick or Treat

Saturday, October 28, 9:00 am—11:30 am

    You and your family are invited to join the YMCA for a Halloween hike up Badger Mountain! Make sure to wear your Halloween costumes (戏装)!

    Free shirts for the first 200 kids registered. Remember to take away your shirt by 11:30 am or it will be given away.

    Cost: Trick or Treat is a FREE event.

    Discovery Hike

Thursday, October 26, 1:00 pm—4:00 pm; Ages 3-8

    Fall is pumpkin time. Listen to a pumpkin story and learn how pumpkins grow. Then we will head out on the path in search of a little pumpkin just for you and maybe, we will find the great pumpkin along the way. $7 per child.

    Harvest Day Camp

Monday, October 31, 8:00 am—5:00 pm

    Harvest Camp is an opportunity for children aged 5-13 to find the wonder of autumn at Keystone Science School and enjoy all the fun the Halloween season offers. We'll explore the ways our natural environment has changed from summer to fall. As always, our programming is focused on building skills, knowledge and confidence. Cost: $0.00.

    Here is a record of the discussion about AI (artificial intelligence) conducted by several scientists.

    Scientist A: I would say that we are quite a long way off developing the AI, though I do think it will happen within the next thirty or forty years. We will probably remain in control of technology and it will help us solve many of the world's problems. However, no one really knows what will happen if machines become more intelligent than humans. They may help us, ignore us or destroy us. I tend to believe AI will have a positive influence on our future lives, but whether that is true will be partly up to us.

    Scientists B: I have to admit that the potential consequences of creating something that can match or go beyond human intelligence frighten me. Even now, scientists are teaching computers how to learn on their own. At some point in the near future, their intelligence may well take off and develop at an ever-increasing speed. Human beings evolve biologically very slowly and we could be quickly substituted. In the short term, there is the danger that robots will take over millions of human jobs, creating a large underclass of unemployed people. This could mean large-scale poverty and social unrest. In the long term machines might decide the world would be better without humans.

    Scientists C: I'm a member of the campaign to Stop Killer Robots. Forget the movie image of a terrifying Terminator stamping on human skulls and think of what's happening right now: military machines like drones, gun turrets and sentry robots are already being used to kill with very little human input. The next step will be autonomous “murderbots” following orders but finally deciding who to kill on their own. It seems clear to me that this would be extremely dangerous for humans. We need to be very cautious indeed about what we ask machines to do.

I first came across the concept of pay­what­you­can cafés last summer in Boone, N. C. , where I ate at F. A. R. M (Feed All Regardless of Means) Café. You can volunteer to earn your meal, pay the suggested price ($10) or less, or you can overpay—paying it forward for a future customer's meal. My only regret after eating there was not having a chance to give my time. So as soon as Healthy World Café opened in York in April, I signed up for a volunteer shift(轮班).

F. A. R. M and Healthy World are part of a growing trend of community cafés. In 2003, Denise Cerreta opened the first in Salt Lake City. Cerreta now runs the One World Everybody Eats Foundation, helping others copy her pay­what­you­can model.

"I think the community café is truly a hand up, not a handout," Cerreta said. She acknowledged that soup kitchens(施粥所) have a place in society, but people typically don't feel good about going there.

"One of the values of the community café is that we have another approach," she said. "Everyone eats here, no one needs to know whether you volunteered, overpaid or underpaid. "

The successful cafés not only address hunger and food insecurity but also become necessary parts of their neighborhood—whether it's a place to learn skills or hear live music. Some teach cooking to seniors; some offer free used books. Eating or working there is a reminder that we are all in this world together.

My 10 am～1pm shift at World Healthy Café began with the café manager—one of the two paid staff members. Our volunteer crew wasn't the most orderly, but we managed to prepare and serve meals with a lot of laughs in between. At the end of my shift, I ordered my earned meal at the counter, together with other volunteers. After lunch, I walked out the door, with a handful of new friends, music in my head and a satisfied belly and heart.