Horizon: Science under attack

[Mich the Tester]

Typical CUK, this; someone starts a thread about something interesting and sciencey, then it's hijacked and turned into a boring whinge about car insurance. FFS, if you're going to hijack threads, have the decency to talk about fit birds!

[Sysman]

Not according to this...

Insurance is more expensive in Northern Ireland than in other parts of the UK.[vague][citation needed]

I can verify that bit. When a relative had his car wrecked by a hit and run driver we asked why he wasn't insured fully comp. We understood when he told us how much fully comp cost in N.I.

[Sysman]

Back on topic then

You have a point. I remember chemistry lessons at school; we spent several weeks learning how to do 'molarity' equations for GCSE; all very important, but it was all about getting the marks for the exam; I can't say I learned anything about the scientific process or even what was actually going on when a chemical reaction occurs. I learned that later, from books. But in the mean time, lots of kids were turned off science because they thought it was 'boring', and I can understand why. It was presented as dry, boring and of little meaning to everyday life. The question 'why', which is surely an opportunity for a science teacher to expand and tell a fascinating story was met with 'that's not in the syllabus'.

Chemistry was certainly boring in the lower sixth form for me, but both before and after it was interesting. We did have some good teachers and the best ones did go above and beyond the syllabus to add interest.

How on earth have we reached a point where even many intelligent people consider science 'boring'? Boring compared to what? Big Brother? Colleen and Wayne? Trawling through second rate literature seeking 'deeper meanings' in ther texts? Think about it; it must be quite a skilled business to make the big bang, the laws of motion or evolution boring. Really, there must be some loons working in education if they can contrive to make the process of scientific discovery appear boring. If I watch the beeb, I see the likes of Prof B Cox, David Attenbrough, Iain Stewart and Jim Al-Khalili who speak with real passion for their field of work; surely science teachers who can bring across the same excitement could raise standards all round and inspire people to learn about science.

An element of that was always there in UK education, from the arts side. Some kind of snobbery-cûm-inverse-snobbery was ever present. Even my German teacher told us that the science stream would end up as doers, but the arts stream would end up as managers and leaders.

It seems that some in the education field have made it their mission in life to turn inquisitive young minds into mush.

Fodder for the factories? Shame there aren't many any more.

I have heard it said that university itself is used as a means of taking the ambition out of you.

[Doggy Styles]

Whereas, oddly enough, the leaders in Japan, China, Germany etc. tend more to the science/engineering side of things.

Yeah, but they're useless at running industries.

[scooterscot]

Whereas, oddly enough, the leaders in Japan, China, Germany etc. tend more to the science/engineering side of things.

Gosh the fools, those economies shall sink like a brick with that sort of leadership. Education education education someone once chanted by the end they were chanting banks banks banks.

[scooterscot]

Well Einstein was in the minority, when he first proposed his theory. It definitely wasn't consensus. The predictions from the consensus look a bit weak to me now.

Now this is important. Individuals are smart people are stupid.

A consensus occurs as the result of agreement between like minded peers; where does it start? At the very moment proof exists whether through experimentation or shared experiences. It is perhaps the single most important point of good science and the markings of a good scientist. Independent verification of the results. (i.e. observations through the telescope)

[BlasterBates]

Well as climate scientists peer through their telescopes they're looking at plunging global temperatures. Of course this may be a temporary aberration and temperatures will turn again. But if not they may review their position, as scientists do from time to time.

[EternalOptimist]

Well as climate scientists peer through their telescopes they're looking at plunging global temperatures. Of course this may be a temporary aberration and temperatures will turn again. But if not they may review their position, as scientists do from time to time.

I'll tell you whats missing from this debate. Most of us here are experts in our field, some are world class. I have met contractors who are definately world class.
The scientists that we are discussing are just like us, they are not a seperate species. Everyone here makes mistakes, everyone likes praise, glory and being the undisputed authority. We like the dosh, and the guarenteed work, for being 'the expert'.
But we are man enough to admit its a load of bollocks, we might get overturned tomorrow.

Because we are up there (in our niche) we can recognise the BS and the bollocks. I personally would never stoop so low as some of these climate scientists have done

shame on them

[Addanc]

The National Curriculum has too much political influence.

After all as a politician or big business leader you don't really want to teach young people to think for themselves.

Not if you want to deliberately engender dependency upon the state.

[Old Greg]

Not if you want to deliberately create cogs for the capitalist machine.

FTFY