tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post112308749515296295..comments2023-10-31T09:00:25.044-04:00Comments on confessions of a first-time mother: Idiotic DesignUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123266226138766532005-08-05T14:23:00.000-04:002005-08-05T14:23:00.000-04:00An interesting book put out by two reporters from ...An interesting book put out by two reporters from the Economist you might want to read is "The Right Nation". I am kind of slow, as a quick read of my blog shows, so a lot of it went over my head, but you should do ok.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15083359852310707247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123242199237658042005-08-05T07:43:00.000-04:002005-08-05T07:43:00.000-04:00Dear Chad,Then we can agree on a bottom line - ID ...Dear Chad,<BR/><BR/>Then we can agree on a bottom line - ID in a school syllabus would be better implemented on a higher grade level.<BR/><BR/>You make some other interesting points that I'm not sure I agree with, but for once duty calls.<BR/><BR/>Might have to write a separate entry about it later - have a great weekend, and of course, feel free to stop by anytime.<BR/><BR/>~Andiandihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10520218688372115296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123178221446478252005-08-04T13:57:00.000-04:002005-08-04T13:57:00.000-04:00forgot a sentence in my previous post. I meant: "...forgot a sentence in my previous post. I meant: <BR/><BR/>"If this causes some people to feel uncomfortable I'm sorry, but open discussions of homosexual sex as an acceptable lifestyle make huge segments of the population uncomfortable and that is considered completely appropriate for school."<BR/><BR/>to read:<BR/><BR/>If this causes some people to feel uncomfortable I'm sorry, but open discussions of many things such as homosexual sex as an acceptable lifestyle make huge segments of the population uncomfortable, rightly or wrongly it is a fact, and that is considered completely appropriate for school. <BR/><BR/><BR/>Personally I feel it is appropriate for discussion at higher grade levels. Again this is one of those areas where the dominant culture is marginalized or ignored and friction results.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15083359852310707247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123177882272688412005-08-04T13:51:00.000-04:002005-08-04T13:51:00.000-04:00The "Theory of Evolution" is exactly why Intellige...The "Theory of Evolution" is exactly why Intelligent Design or other alternative theories need to be taught in a science class. Evolution is a theory with many holes currently. Intelligent Design purports to fill those holes. As I stated previously I think it is a bunch of garbage, but it deserves comparison. This same argument can be extended to "revisionist histories". History tends to be a consensus arrived at by a culture. When there is information that is known the revises those issues it should be examined. The problem with revisionist history is integrating the new facts into a cultural tradition. Here is a short term example - It is generally accepted that George Bush stated we had to attack Iraq because there was an imminent threat that Iraq was going to attack us. The historical record shows that to be absolutely incorrect on two accounts. 1. George Bush never said that. He said we must not allow them to become an imminent threat. 2. Iraq had been attacking US forces on almost a daily basis for years. That in fact was one of the driving reasons behind Bill Clinton defining Regime Change as the national policy towards Iraq in 1998. These issues don't easily integrate with the accepted truth so they are ignored, and thus history or the popularly accepted version of it is born. Part of the problem with education in this country is the fact that America is a highly religous country, much more so than almost any country in Europe, and the dominant religous culture is Judeo-Christian, but there is an active attempt to remove all that cultural identity. This causes friction. If there were an open attempt to deal with these issues in school the friction would be reduced and that would in no way constitute an endorsement of religion. If this causes some people to feel uncomfortable I'm sorry, but open discussions of homosexual sex as an acceptable lifestyle make huge segments of the population uncomfortable and that is considered completely appropriate for school.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15083359852310707247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123158299194358182005-08-04T08:24:00.000-04:002005-08-04T08:24:00.000-04:00Dear Chad,You have a good point - maybe ID does ha...Dear Chad,<BR/><BR/>You have a good point - maybe ID does have a place in a course syllabus as such an example of what a theory isn't.<BR/><BR/>However, there's also a debate right now about how to teach history - do you teach just the known facts, or do you also teach historical paradigms that led to the evaluation of those facts (revisionist history, etc.)?<BR/><BR/>In high school I had the benefit of some pretty advanced classes. In an outstanding Humanities class, a couple of the students were actively involved in debating larger philosophical issues. Most of the class slept through these debates.<BR/><BR/>The idea of Intelligent Design might have a place in a Humanities class like that, where you are doing things to learn to think, as you put it. Maybe there's a place for a Scientific Humanities class - but in the public school system, I don't see it happening anytime soon.<BR/><BR/>My concern is that ID will be included as part of a science class that is not open to question. My concern is that it will not be taught in such a mindful way as you describe above.<BR/><BR/>There have been a lot of ideas I was not comfortable with as a student, and I certainly don't expect my daughter to be comfortable with everything, either. I don't think that's the issue. My problem with ID's place in schools is that it will be presented along with the theory of evolution, without the indepth examination that might allow students to make their own judgements about its validity or worth. Depends on how you teach it, I suppose.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your input. Come back any time.andihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10520218688372115296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9071047.post-1123135488824549562005-08-04T02:04:00.000-04:002005-08-04T02:04:00.000-04:00So what you're saying is of course we can teach co...So what you're saying is of course we can teach competing theories, but only theories that are approved. It's far more important that children are never exposed to an idea that may make them uncomfortable than that they actually learn how to think in school. Personally I think intelligent design is probably a load of crap, but that doesn't mean that there may not be some value in examining it as a theory, if for no other reason than as an example of poor scientific reasoning. I guess open-mindedness is only for when you want your opinions considered.Chadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15083359852310707247noreply@blogger.com