h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Well rational thought is what history lessons are for you see...

Having said that, it might help if somewhere along the lines they dedicated a lesson or two to basic scientific method rather than just formulaic write-ups. Then maybe I would have to deal with idiots going "oh evolution is just a theory". so is gravity for Asimov's sake.

What *is* this pervasive idea people have that the point of science is to come up with 'facts' and that 'theories' are hypotheses that don't have much backing? Did most of us sleep through science class?!

" so is gravity for Asimov's sake."

Finally someone who recognizes that Asimov is an incarnation or the Raven, one of the two avatars of the Galactic Spirit that is the incarnation of the Primes.

OK, I must have been comatose throughout my school years...

As someone studying philosophy at university now - I would have welcomed a few such classes when I was at school.

Picking up the point about children confusing fact & fiction (Jesus & the water cycle)- perhaps religious texts should be introduced within the teaching of literature. Information about different beliefs would may be fit in with geography/ social studies.

The morals of different religions is quite an issue relating to the advent of citizenship in the curriculum. I am aware that some secondary teachers are unhappy that the syllabus seems weighted to teaching that the uk system is the right/best one, rather than exploring the possible alternatives, pros & cons.

"some secondary teachers are unhappy that the syllabus seems weighted to teaching that the uk system is the right/best one"

If they're that unhappy, then for my money - and their paypacket IS my money, lest we forget - they're more than welcome to bugger off to somewhere that they think is better.

Wooly liberal relativism replacing pride in one's nation and its achievements is a lot of what's wrong with education, and in particular the people who deliver it. I'm not suggesting actively denigrating, say, France, or closing our eyes to the inadequacies of our own system (e.g. the suggestion to remove right to jury trial, the appalling sexist bias in many areas of legislation).

Quite apart from anything else, if you live in this country, the UK system most definitely IS the right one, and to suggest otherwise is to invite the kind of anti-authoritarian flouting of the law we saw among "anti-capitalist" hooligans a couple of years ago.

I'm another one who goes Aaaarrrggghhh when I hear that "evolution is just a theory..."

On teaching citizenship we are, when all is said and done, teaching people to be citizens of *this* country, not another one, but since this is a democracy this must surely involve enough critique for people to be aware that actuality and principle don't necessarily coincide, and that there are other possible ways of doing things.

Noggin

What sexual bias in legislation is that Member?

No one is addressing the facts, still!

As pretty well everyone in the UK is a practical atheist, as even the ones that say that they believe in Him seldom do what He says, what is the point of studying 'atheism'?

Surely this is much the same as studying breathing? Everyone does breathe, or they would be dead. Everyone does it pretty well. And everyone understands it.

In the same way, virtually everyone is an atheist, even if they don't articulate it that way, and are doing it with alacrity. They hardly need instruction! Everyone, pretty much, understands that they hate God, and His ways, and will not, and cannot, do them, so why bother to teach that which they are very much au fait with?

Surely the vile values of pop/film stars etc., which are pushed down the throats of most people all the time is enough? The antichrist values of media people found everywhere preach the same filthy message. Why bother to teach it in schools? Would it not be better to teach them to read and write; something they seem to be failing at?

Ferrettbadger,

Oh no! Don't get him started!

az

I think it could also be said that the number of anti-capitalist "hooligans" is very small, and the number of people with principled reservations about the functioning of many aspects of the capitalist system is much larger. Are you against "hooligans" or anti-capitalists Member?

Noggin

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Noggin,

I am sure you do, but it is just a theory, and it has no more validity than Dr Who, or Blake's 7! What a load of nonsense! Almighty God can and has done mighty things! Praise God! I am sorry you think Him so small that He is no more than a human being. But there is not one wretched 'scientist' who has died who hangs on to that myth.

Roll on the day when the pathetic scientists have the guts to confess that they had it all wrong, and that God did make it, as He says. At the moment every time they discover that their myth has fatal flaws, like the fact that it defies the laws of known science, they invent a new twist to explain that away, rather than swallow their putrid pride and confess that they are only wretched men finding out what God has made, and that they are not the gods that they want to be.

Maybe this will shut him up az.

Justin, kids need lessons in atheism so they do it properly and dont go around clinging to half a head full of your nonesense. They are not fully out of the shadows of harmful rantings like yours.


Surely this is much the same as studying breathing? Everyone does breathe, or they would be dead. Everyone does it pretty well. And everyone understands it...In the same way, virtually everyone is an atheist, even if they don't articulate it that way, and are doing it with alacrity. They hardly need instruction! Very wrong Justin.

Your theory says as there are kids nicking cars we should not teach them how to drive properly or try to instill decent standards of conduct that expound respect for each other and keeps themselves and others safe.

All because they dont do things exactly the way you would like. Get a life!

Oh Im sorry you had one and messed it up didnt you. Wonder why no one here takes you seriously


Surely the vile values of pop/film stars etc., which are pushed down the throats of most people all the time is enough? The antichrist values of media people found everywhere preach the same filthy message.

Heres a message from one of my favourite "anti-christ popstars":

"one love"

member, just a few comments.

<- women receive state pension five years earlier than men, despite being statistically likely to live five years longer.>

As far as i am aware this may be the case at present but is under review (if not actually already agreed) to be equalised for both men and women

<- it is a central principle of justice that a person accused of a crime should have the right to question their accuser. This fundamental right is withdrawn if the accused is a man, the accuser is a woman, and the alleged crime is rape.>

If you think that a rape victim should be subjected to question by the man accused of her crime, given the already traumatic nature of the crime then i feel you may need to seriously reconsider this. Given the nature of the alledged crime i feel this to be a highly sensible approach.

- women who allege rape are guaranteed anoymity. Innocent men accused of rape are guaranteed to be named and shamed, regardless of the outcome of the case.

Two different points surely the women is the victim not the accused, however i conceed that it is wrong to publicly decry the accused prior to any conviction.

<- the government spends over four times as much on healthcare specifically targetted at women (e.g. breast cancer treatment, cervical cancer screening) as it does on healthcare targetted specifically at men (e.g. testicular cancer screening).>

All well and good but are the instances of male and female health problems you are taking about equal. if they are then this is a reasoonable point. But i suspect (again form my knowledge and i am prepared to conceed the point if you can provided evidence) that this not the case and that breast and cervical cancer are more widely occuring than testicular cancer and therefore should rightly recive more funding.

Just my

Ah, I missed the original post so I'm glad there are some of the point repeated in the response here.

Member, do you know Hoovooloo by any chance?

Kelli your not the first to ask that. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F1675436?thread=345335#p4449706 but is it important anyway?

Was just curious