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mac



Joined: 07 Mar 1999
Posts: 17736
Location: Berkeley, California

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 12:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Of course it is not just North Carolina that abhors science. Louisiana wants to mandate teaching of criticism. The South is more and more like Oklahoma in the 1920's. http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Education/2011/0602/Teaching-creationism-Louisiana-law-that-skirts-US-ban-survives-challenge
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

It's amazing in the modern world that there is this insidious religious element that insists on promoting ignorance in science. It's like a cancer that mutates young minds, and it ultimately leaves you with intellectually crippled adults that favor blind faith over credible science. It's pretty damn sad that this kind of thing is happening in America.
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keycocker



Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 3598

PostPosted: Sun Aug 12, 2012 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

May not assure you but that has been going on for thousands of years. Civilisation has only lately reached the point we can regard such things as identifiable events and can regret them.
In some cultures including islamic countries there has never been any other education than memorizing holy books and repeating them aloud.
In Belize the Brits were good leaders and the literacy rate is the same as the US. Despite this fact, there were no schools not part of a church until we opened one four years ago.
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pueno



Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 2807

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

swchandler wrote:
It's amazing in the modern world that there is this insidious religious element that insists on promoting ignorance in science. It's like a cancer that mutates young minds, and it ultimately leaves you with intellectually crippled adults that favor blind faith over credible science. It's pretty damn sad that this kind of thing is happening in America.

I think our public education system is doing that by eliminating or de-emphasizing critical analysis skills from the curriculum (1-12). Young people are not taught how to think critically for themselves, and thus do and believe whatever they're told. They don't have the skills to logically question.
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keycocker



Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 3598

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 4:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You are right pueno but that is not new.
We do it because it is an easier way to teach.
Socrates complained about it, too.
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pueno



Joined: 03 Mar 2007
Posts: 2807

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 6:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

keycocker wrote:
You are right pueno but that is not new.
We do it because it is an easier way to teach.
Socrates complained about it, too.

I agree -- it goes back decades. In part, I think it's related to our propensity to test the kids so they can be promoted to the next grade.

On the one hand, measuring competence is a good idea. On the other hand, schools "teach to the test" because they're otherwise held accountable when their students don't test to minimum standards.

The testing/measuring process doesn't include critical and analytical thinking abilities, so kids aren't taught to do it.
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swchandler



Joined: 08 Nov 1993
Posts: 10588

PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 10:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You guys remember the following theme of the late 60s and very early 70s?

Question Authority.

pueno, you bring up an important point about educational goals and the result. Critical analytical skills are so important to solving problems in life, whether they are on the job or personal in nature. Often it's about working things to the best solutions. Art taught me much about about doing things, especially since a personal statement was always tied to every piece of artwork you did. It's also about a sense of pride in accomplishment. Once you learn that, you can succeed at almost anything.
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