Thursday, May 19, 2005

The Problem With Teaching Theory As Fact
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I suppose it's part of our nature to seek absolutes. 500 years ago, there was theory that the sun revolved around the earth. It was taught (to those who could afford teaching) as fact. Thus it was an absolute: the sun revolves around the earth.
A thousand years before that, everyone knew the earth revolves around the sun. Just a theory, but taught as an absolute fact.

There are endless examples theories that somehow become "facts" in our heads.
Man evolved from proto-humans, dolphins evolved from proto-cows, the earth is flat, here there be dragons, aboriginal people are savages, every solar system has a black hole at it's center...

Suddenly, my first day of Kindergarden makes sense. Before I left for school, my father gave me a command. "Question Authority!" he said.
Because an authority does not equal an absolute. I guess.

But don't take my word for it.

It's only a theory.

1 comment:

Roberta S said...

I think we should always question authority. I think when one is forbidden the right to question, the right to skepticism, then that could well be a cult in disguise. Good advice your father gave you.