[snip]
There is no future unless a powerful new energy technology is developed in the next 20/30 years or so. And this means a far great emphasis on science and on scientific education in schools. The trend towards dumbing down in Western schools must be reversed if there is to be a future for Europe and America. America has got away with it so far because it has been able to recruit te best scientific brains of Europe during the whole of the last century and the best brains of eastern Asian countries in the latter half. As far as the latter are concerned, this trend is already ending because, despite lower salaries (but only for the time being) the best Asian scientists and students in America are now being attracted back to Asia, particularly China. And, of course, China is now able to retain its own home-educated scientists.[snip]
OK: Let's take this idea really seriously. Heres' what I think ti may "dictate" (Yes, that's a non-laissez faire word).
I do not think that going back to any ideal of education from the past will do the job.
I think we need education that will inspire young persons to want to solve this problem (and other "showstoppers", if this is not the only one), and give them the tools to attack the problem in a focused way. I don't mean teaching them today's technical skills that will be obsolete tomorrow, but teaching them the skills needed to be able scientists, engineers, etc., but with a mission, not because science is interesting, etc., although we need to make it interesting, etc.
We need to expend extra effort on helping those who are failing to succeed to the best of their ability so they too can contribute. We need to not let the unfettered market allocate human and material resources.
I can imagine a ocntinuation of the Bush regime bringing about some of the bad parts of such a future. I don't see any FDR's around, or the party apparatus to support one if one does appear.
I also believe that one way we can protect persons' civil liberties in a time we may need to curtail civil liberties is by including real experience of the liberal arts (Notice I did not use the word: "instruction", which reduces everything to a lesson in living in a situation of instructors and instructees!) -- then persons will perhaps acquire some desire for real freedom (peer discourse which shapes itself as persons' daily life situation in all areas, including work, schol, etc.), and also some ability to recognize with they don't have it -- like for most even if not for all, in schol and the workplace ever since anyone can remember (and nto just since George W took office).
I think there is time to teach both science and technology to address Keith's concerns, and also for some liberal arts experience -- if we dump the "crap", among whcih I would include all forms of interpersonal competition, competition in sports, competition for grades, etc.
Do we really ahve time and energy to expend struggling against each other? Is a system which consumes so much energy to produce energy the best way we can motivate persons?
\brad mccormick
--
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16)Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)
<![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----------------------------------------------------------------- Visit my website ==> http://www.users.cloud9.net/~bradmcc/
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