Is the Definition of Energy in Physics Misleadingly Presented Online?

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter physics girl phd
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Energy Field
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the definition of energy in physics and its presentation online, particularly in relation to a specific image that some participants find inappropriate. The conversation touches on the implications of societal norms regarding depictions of women and how these intersect with scientific definitions of energy and work.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses discomfort with the circular definition of energy as "the ability to do work," questioning its clarity and relevance, especially when explaining it to a child.
  • Another participant challenges the appropriateness of labeling an image of a woman in exercise attire as NSFW, arguing that such a perception reflects deeper societal issues.
  • Some participants assert that the image in question is not sexualized and does not relate to scientific definitions of energy, suggesting it is linked to pseudo-scientific concepts instead.
  • Concerns are raised about the impact of gender feminism on perceptions of women's bodies, with some arguing that it leads to an overly critical view of depictions of women.
  • There is a call for understanding the OP's values and background before passing judgment on their concerns regarding the image.
  • One participant humorously references the criticism of the Pioneer plaque, suggesting that societal shame surrounding human biology is misplaced.
  • A later reply questions the original poster's question, indicating some confusion about the focus of the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views on the appropriateness of the image and its relevance to the discussion on energy. There is no consensus on whether the depiction is acceptable or whether societal perceptions of women's bodies influence scientific discourse.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects varying interpretations of societal norms and their impact on scientific communication, highlighting the complexity of addressing sensitive topics within the context of physics.

physics girl phd
Messages
930
Reaction score
3
My spouse and our son M asked me about work and energy, and they didn't like my circular definition: energy is the ability to do work; and work occurs when one object applies a force on another, changing its energy. (even discussing microscopic things like heat, bonds, etc.) so when I looked up energy and work definitions in Google, I got http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Energy+%28physics%29" of "energy field"

(Thank goodness M wasn't looking over my shoulder.)

I didn't quite know where I'd put this in PF, but I thought this forum would be most appropriate since it's perhaps most X-rated (even though the drawn woman is clothed in exercise garb and sh is only is shown from the rear).

On my screen, you have to scan down to see the full image, and it almost makes me feel like I'm playing the version "strip poker" that we found on our Trash 80 (where the female opponents are imaged in ASCII... and presumably you aren't really stripping at home by yourself when you play against them). That's why I note the "link maybe NSFW?" warning.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Physics news on Phys.org
physics girl phd said:
(Thank goodness M wasn't looking over my shoulder.)

I didn't quite know where I'd put this in PF, but I thought this forum would be most appropriate since it's perhaps most X-rated (even though the drawn woman is clothed in exercise garb and sh is only is shown from the rear).

So what exactly is wrong with your son seeing a women in an exercise garb, and what exactly would make this picture more heinous seen from front than from back ? Do you think it will damage him in some mysterious ways ?

Truth be told, if our society comes to depict a women in exercise attire as NSFW, something is deeply wrong with it. If that image is NSFW, seeing any women in any attire is NSFW. Going on the street is NSFW. Some seem to define the mere looks of a women as NSFW.
 
The only thing i see wrong in that picture is that it has nothing to do with energy as defined by science. I think its related to some sort of healing with energy thing or whatever.
Your issue with the picture is that she is in exercise garb? Whats wrong with that? I certainly didn't think anything X rated about the picture.
 
If that's the worst thing you've seen on the internet you're not using it right.

On another note it's not a sexualised picture, merely a diagram showing some religious/pseudo-medical energy fields of the body. Complete tosh in other words
 
Drakkith said:
Your issue with the picture is that she is in exercise garb? Whats wrong with that? I certainly didn't think anything X rated about the picture.

IMO gender feminism damaged women self respect in such a degree that is hard for some females to see any depiction of a women body. Those who fall in this category see menaces to women in every marketing campaign, in every movie, in every picture or drawing of a woman. It is a great shame when a women defines a depiction of a female body as NSFW. Especially when clothed, and just a sketch.
 
Well, let's not judge too harshly. We aren't the OP and have no idea what her values are or how she was raised.
 
Drakkith said:
Well, let's not judge too harshly. We aren't the OP and have no idea what her values are or how she was raised.

My opinion is general, and steams from my perception of gender feminism, and it's obsession with sex and their perceived image of women. It has nothing to do with the OP in any way whatsoever, it is not a criticism of her, but of the perception of a female in exercise attire as NSFW.

All is left now is to blame NASA of sending porn into space as a greeting to an extraterrestrial intelligence. Oh, wait, it already happened. How the hell did some groups of humans came to be ashamed by human biology ? How can some humans grow so negatively obsessed with their own biological build ? The criticism of Pioneer plaque which depicted naked male and female humans is IMO a criticism against nature and science.
 
Am what is the OP's question?
 

Similar threads

High School What is Energy? A Clear Definition and Explanation
  • · Replies 43 ·
2
Replies
43
Views
5K
High School Gravitational potential energy, a thought experiment
  • · Replies 125 ·
5
Replies
125
Views
7K
Admissions Statement of purpose critique request (high-energy theory PhD application)
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
4K
Graduate Form of energy momentum tensor of matter in EM fields
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Admissions Exploring the Universe: Pursuing a PhD in High Energy Physics
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
4K
High School Why doesn't cosmic inflation violate conservation of energy?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K
Undergrad Understanding dissipation of energy in a resistor through the Drude model
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
High School Experiment issues (electromagnetism)
  • · Replies 42 ·
2
Replies
42
Views
4K
High School Discrete definitions of Physics Standard Units
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
High School What factors contribute to an object's rest energy?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
3K