Creativity, Intelligence & Education

[Duty]

I agree. I think that a course on critical thinking should be incorporated into all high school and college curricula. It would include the concept of proof, scientific method, logic and the analysis and critique of scientific experiments. Also, it would teach the meaning of statistics and stochastic processes to help people better understand and make informed choices about politics, policy, and economics. I would also include critical reading and analysis of academic/scientific publications. Skeptical citizens adept in critical thinking are vital to a democracy.

A lot of what would prevent this (in the United States anyways) is the overreactive types of parents who are mainstream religious. They would object to it as, "Teaching children how to be critical of their religion." When told that it is for the benefit of teaching better science, it would only embitter them more toward the subject...it would draw more lines in the sand between teaching science and religious people.

Sigh...

And if it wasn't that, people would probably object to it because, "It isn't what I had to learn in school! I've never needed this stuff so why are they wasting time on this?"

Sadly, the system is the way it is because the majority of people want it that way.

 

[Norton]

A lot of what would prevent this (in the United States anyways) is the overreactive types of parents who are mainstream religious. They would object to it as, "Teaching children how to be critical of their religion." When told that it is for the benefit of teaching better science, it would only embitter them more toward the subject...it would draw more lines in the sand between teaching science and religious people.

Sigh...

And if it wasn't that, people would probably object to it because, "It isn't what I had to learn in school! I've never needed this stuff so why are they wasting time on this?"

Sadly, the system is the way it is because the majority of people want it that way.

You're probably right. Pretty scary.

 

[Gaze]

I agree with the above. But, what would you propose to improve things? Please consider political reality (I'm in the U.S.) and that many students' parents lack the insight and understanding that you have. S's are in the majority and they may not agree with N's regarding education and creativity.

Personally, I've been beaten up by reality too often to expect (or hope for) much more than a mediocre compromise. Hopefully, many creative kids will succeed despite "education." I guess my guiding principles have been persistence and endurance. They've worked for me but I have scars.

Yeah. I see what you mean. I think I was a tad bit too defensive earlier. Thanks for your responses.