This is part II of my recent essay, The "Higher Education" Paradox.
Here is a definition of astronomy from the Merriam-Webster online dictionary.
astronomy
noun
as·tron·o·my
plural astronomies
Simple Definition
: the study of objects and matter outside the earth's atmosphere and of their physical and chemical properties
The Merriam-Webster entry goes on to explain the difference between astronomy and astrology.
Did you know?The Difference Between Astronomy and Astrology
Some may find it easy to confuse astronomy and astrology. At one time, these two words actually were synonymous (that is, astronomy once meant what astrology means today), but they have since moved apart from each other. In current use, astronomy is concerned with “the study of objects and matter outside the earth's atmosphere,” while astrology is the purported divination of how stars and planets influence our lives. Put bluntly, astronomy is a science, and astrology is not.
When I was in Grade 11 at Westmount High School, one of the courses I took was physics. Due to the time of day, perhaps, second period in the morning, or the monotonous drone of the teacher, my routine was the same every single day. I would sit down in my spot at the lab bench, put my head down, and sleep for the next forty-five minutes. One day, the teacher interupted my studies to ask me if I was okay. I told him I was fine and went back to sleep. I was always partially awake during lab exercises because I had to stand and perform certain motions. Thanks to those exercises, I managed to pick up a thing or two pertaining to the science of physics. But not much.
I dropped out of Grade 13 at HCI after not quite completing the first semester and started working for a living. A short while later, I borrowed a copy of Isaac Asimov's book, "The Universe." I loved it. While reading it, I realized that some of the physics I had picked up osmotically in Grade 11 helped me to understand some of the concepts Asimov described, like the Doppler Effect, and why it had led astronomers to conclude that the universe was expanding.
That experience helped me realize that there was some value in education and motivated me to take another stab at Grade 13 with a focus on math and science. I got my diploma.
A few years later, I studied chemistry at Mohawk College.
The point I am trying to make is that I have a certain understanding of what science is and how it works.
Here is an example of "Indigenous Astronomy." This is not what I think of when I think of "astronomy." And when this is promoted as a form of astronomy, it's an example of what I call government-funded BULLSHIT.
Imagine you are a young student who has been taught "astronomy" in this woman's class. The odds are high that you will have a very different understanding of "astronomy" from mine. If this type of pedagogy continues to spread in Canada's so-called "education" system, God help us all.
Related
Kathleen Stock: The scandal of Jason Arday
This Latest Hate Hoax Proves That Academia Is A Fraud With No Standards | Ep. 1823
Update:
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please feel free to leave your comments, insults, or threats.