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As someone not from the states I was genuinely surprised to see that non-science was potentially preached in schools for such well proven topics such as this. F
by mrmondo 10y ago
As someone not from the states I was genuinely surprised to see that non-science was potentially preached in schools for such well proven topics such as this. For genuinely debatable scientific theories sure I understand but this was a bit of a jarring realisation.
- vegabook 10y agooh, because science that is "proven" is indisputable... You understand that humans are fallible, right, including when it comes to "proof"? Just go read Thomas Kuhn again.
- stdbrouw 10y agoI must have missed that section where Kuhn explains that fallible evidence is worthless and that everyone should just believe what they want.
- vegabook 10y agoYou obviously missed the point that all scientific paradigms, which, when they are in force, are full of all sorts of "proofs", but are ultimately just human constructs, fallible, and, history shows, vulnerable to being overturned and thereafter ridiculed, over and over again.
- Fiahil 10y agoI was equally surprised when I learned that creationism was also subject to debate in american public schools. In France, this would draw some major criticism, even in private catholic schools where they are allowed to talk about it but genuinely stick to the state syllabus.
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- wrsh07 10y agoSadly, the issue has become quite politicized, and that means that millions throw their support for a cause without evidence.
- theophrastus 10y agoIn my experience (teaching in Germany for about three years) it is not uncommon for Europeans to look on in astonishment at the dubious rulings of various governing levels in the U.S. and I can sympathize. But I can offer up a few random items which may dispel some of the amazement: The U.S. is a good deal more diverse than any one European country; the difference between Oregon and Texas is somewhat like comparing Iceland to Albania. The U.S. constitution is relatively ancient as compared with most European constitutions (~225 vs 75 years). The U.S. constitution has a number of provisions (first few amendments) which the European constitutions lack and which interact in unexpectedly deep philosophical ways. For instance, freedom of religion, on which substantial U.S. raison d'etre exists, can be a real sticking point when one religion, for example, declares that governmental support of birth control in any form violates their religion. oh and how often am i asked about the gun thing? but i can't really help you there - that really is nutz. So social diversity and deep freedoms of speech, religion, guns, and robust capitalism, that's your witches' cauldron (der Hexenkessel, if you happen to be German)
- Spooky23 10y agoWe all do strange things. I find it incredible that taxpayer funds provide a substantial portion of the budget for the Catholic Church in many countries, for example.
- ec109685 10y agoThey do in the US as well by subsidizing charitable donations to churches as tax free.
- omonra 10y agoWhat difference is there between this and other nonprofits like ACLU or HRC? I'm genuinely interested, not claiming to know. My understanding that donations to any nonprofit are not taxable.