School begins again, and we read more about the intrusion of pseudoscience into school science curricula in this country, particularly into the study of biology and evolution.
The motive, despite the claims of proponents of intelligent design and other bogus “disciplines,” has been religious. Although some of the creation scientists’ arguments presented have a probabilistic flavor, the mathematics curriculum has seemed somewhat resistant to this trend. Recently a number of readers have sent me course descriptions from various schools that suggest otherwise, however.
Consider first a Baptist school in Texas whose description of a geometry course begins:
Students will examine the nature of God as they progress in their understanding of mathematics. Students will understand the absolute consistency of mathematical principles and know that God was the inventor of that consistency. They will see God’s nature revealed in the order and precision they review foundational concepts while being able to demonstrate geometric thinking and spatial reasoning. The study of the basics of geometry through making and testing conjectures regarding mathematical and real-world patterns will allow the students to understand the absolute consistency of God as seen in the geometric principles he created.
This is only happening at private schools so far, but how long will it be before Christians start demanding both sides of this nonsense debate in the public schools?!
I could see religion coming into Art class. After all, Art class is about how you “feel” and other fuzzy things like that. Fits well with religion, and some great works of art are inspired by religion.
Science and math are founded on what you can observe, reproduce, prove, and rationally explain. Throwing religion into either is like using Art to judge a mathematical proof. “I know 1 + 1 = 2, but it feels better to make it 5. I believe it should be 5. So let’s make it 5, okay?”
#61 – Burke
“Is some “mans” idea of math relevant to Truth?
na.”
Interesting viewpoint – especially considering that mathematics is entirely, 100% an invention of the human mind. It is solely a way for us to quantify and understand relationships that occur in nature.
The ruler is not the thing being measured. Math does not exist in nature, only the things math measures.
#64
Dangnit. I got to say it sooner, but you said it better.
#60 – “Then Christian Schools should employ atheists. Most atheists know the Bible far better than most Fundy Christians…”
What concept – I love it!
The one thing I know for sure about God as that He doesn’t listen to me. I ask him to damn stuff all the time and haven’t seen Him do it yet.
I’m awaiting Burke’s snappy comeback, where he explains how irrelevant “man’s” ideas about something “man” invented are. 🙂
Okay, this is probably uncalled for, but I’ll do it anyway.
Here’s an equation for ya:
Burke = Berk(1)? They certainly sound the same, I believe they are the same.
Has Burke Burked(2) the ideas of rational math? Is his thinking a result of an unsuccessful burking(3)?
1: a stupid person who is easy to take advantage of
2: To avoid; disregard
3: To execute (someone) by suffocation so as to leave the body intact and suitable for dissection.
#56 The Jesuits never ceased explaining the superior education we boys were receiving.
I didn’t believe it until I discovered the sad fact undergraduate school became redundant because of them. Having studied Calculus, the hard sciences, Literature, English, Latin & Greek, and History, to a very high standard, what else is there except philosophy and more focused study in academia.
Of course, there always have been academies of labor, learning, and art. Usually, a man is suited for only one at any time in his life.
#68 You forgot the original burke (English slang) which means cunt. Good show on the Hare and Burke reference though(3).
#64
>>”Math does not exist in nature”
Your on thin ice here Lauren. Math does exist in nature, specifically geometry. There are constant relationships between physical objects that can be described through mathematics. Geometry is the math we invented to describe said relationships. Not that this proves god or any such silly thing.
OhForTheLoveOf
Do you work at Mc Donalds?
If not you are propably one of those unionized teachers. Did you see that dumbass Jameka on Big Brother 8? She has a Masters in Education! Oh sure, she’s a christian but she teaches at one of your beloved public schools. By the way, I’m VERY familar with the crock of shit they call education in America. Principles that change failing grades. Teachers that get the standard test answers and teach only that or even cheat so that they look SO good and get the federal funding. Stop worrying about Bush and stop by your local school board meeting for a change.
Well, nightstar – you’re simply reiterating what I told our friend Burke. Geometry doesn’t exist in nature – its very name identifies it as a science, i. e., a man-made thought construct: geo – Earth + metry – measurement.
The relationships simply are. The measurements of those relationships do not exist without us – defining what property we are measuring and by what unit we will measure it. If we cease to exist, our yardsticks disappear with us. The ratio of the circumfrence of a circle on a plane to it’s radius will not change – but π only exists in our minds.
The map is not the territory ~ Alfred Korzibski
#71 – Do you work at Mc Donalds?
Oddly enough, I don’t work at McDonalds… so no, I won’t be able to get you a job there.
If not you are propably one of those unionized teachers.
Hmmm… “one of THOSE unionized teachers”… You fuckbag. You begrudge the lowest paid professionals in America, who you charge with the education of your children, their membership in a union? You do know that managers at a McDonalds make more than the typical teacher, right?
Did you see that dumbass Jameka on Big Brother 8?
No… Educated people have more important things to do with their time than to watch “reality” TV shows… But if that’s where you got your inside info about public education, then its no wonder you are so uninformed.
Those who can’t teach… bitch.
#73
That was cruel and unusual punishment.
You spanked GF so hard blood splattered my monitor ^^
#72 Burke is still a cunt to me.
Still I understand what you’re saying Lauren. It’s an interesting metaphysical quandary.
Since reality is perception, does my perception define the thing or not?
Bush does Fuzzy Math
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/fuzzymath
Cheers
You don’t seem to be up on the latest curriculum fads, Mr. Fusion. Not correcting spelling and grammar are considered secondary to letting kids write. Surveys have shown Americans to be low in knowledge comapred to other countries, but they score at the top when asked to rate their knowledge level. I think the best thing for education would be to eliminate the schools of education, or vastly shrink them down to a few courses. They keep producing all sorts of bogus theories on how education should be done, like using calculators, whole word reading, etc. My guess is you would make a better teacher than the vast majority currently out there, in any subject.
#77 – MikeN,
Check out this study of the excellence of U.S. students. It just might be too true to be good.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/29730
#77 – My guess is you would make a better teacher than the vast majority currently out there, in any subject.
Fusion may well make a great teacher… But rank and file classroom teachers are not who you are talking about. Teachers teach… it’s academics at other levels, in other jobs, who constantly befuddle the public with new educational theories… many of which are very solid…
I realize that many Americans don’t understand education and are confused by the volumes of misinformation from agenda driven arch-conservatives and religious “leaders”…
But I just can’t fathom why teachers, en mass, must be made to endure the constant scorn to which they are so clearly not deserving of.
And so begins the fall of the US empire
So how is this different from iindoctrination at an early age by adult muslim fundamentalists?
So how is this different from indoctrination at an early age by adult muslim fundamentalists?
Teachers teach, but the evidence is that they by and large are pulled from the bottom third of college graduates. The academics are hard at work on these teachers in education schools planting these theories, and also planting them into statewide curricula. Many teachers reject these theories, but the effects are there.
#83 – Teachers teach, but the evidence is that they by and large are pulled from the bottom third of college graduates.
Cite that. I call BS…
To teach 3rd grade, when we moved from redneckville Ohio to Chicago, my ex-wife had to go back to school and earn a Master’s Degree. Now she earns $42K… WOO HOO
She is among the best and the brightest (she was smart enough to divorce me), but if you want them all to be so, maybe public policy should be to pay for it.
We all like to think that teaching is a career you do out of love and humanitarian concerns… but fuck that… Teachers deserve to live in houses and afford groceries and drive good quality mid-sized sedans too.
OhForTheLoveOf
Seriously now, you are trying to make a mountain out of a molehill. You act as if teachers are priests anointed with a gift for humanity. And you are being the very thing that you hate others for: a missionary of your own ideas. You act as though the precepts of learned institutions are about to crumble under the weight of 700 club bible thumpers. You seek truth where there is none. You seek an island of stability where none exists. You probably cling to science as absolute truth when even the scientists know that there are no truth just theories and proofs that have yet to be disproved.
Ya, thats true…students will understand the consistency in math…and the power of god…
cheers,
suma valluru
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https://www.esumz.com
86, Dont put links in your name plz…Esp ones with BAD certificates.