| Sky Render said: A related matter which I feel needs addressing: schooling does not teach a person to be intelligent. They can teach knowledge, they can teach theory, they can teach statistics, but they do not teach students to ask why. The knowledge, theories, and statistics are easy to convey; it takes time and effort, and of course a willingness on the behalf of the other party to learn, but there is no true challenge in teaching somebody these things. With enough time and persistence, anybody can learn them. But to teach a person to think for themselves, to seek out answers and find the real reasons for what happens instead of sticking to a formula even when the formula fails... That is something that is not taught properly in schools. You cannot force a person to be curious, nor can you make them seek out answers to questions on their own. These things can be inspired, but no effort is made to do so for most students. So many leave school believing they are intelligent because they have knowledge, theories, and statistics, not realizing that they lack the most important tools of all: to be able to step back look at why it all means what it does as well as step forward and see why something specific happens. That, above all else, is why I distrust those who turn to those three things in place of actual reasoning. |
Schooling does so teach a person to think for themselves, to reason. Perhaps it didn't several years ago, but it is now becoming a thing of great importance. Courses are now being designed in such a way as to help the child create there own curriculum. They are even abolishing final exams for Science in my province and instead of the traditional 'Science Fair' students are now encouraged to do an 'Innovation Project'. It's not much, but it certainly is a start.
To your last comment... How can you possibly know that they are using knowledge, theories and statistics without first reasoning and agreeing with the application of them? I don't mean any offense at all in saying this, but isn't that a bit presumptuous?
I must say though, I am quite confused about this Malstrom guy and am absolutely amazed that people would rank him as a true genius... quite the exclusive list. I'm not entirely usre what see of the guy. Maybe an egoist, must be the egoist in pearljammer 
( I'm sorry, I just really couldn't take that analogy seriously)
Alas, it is very late where I am. I look forward to seeing what comes of this thread tomorrow.
