Enquiry Demands the Ability to Formulate Questions

[coberst]

Enquiry Demands the Ability to Formulate Questions

 

“I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write.” Augustine of Hippo. I am coberst and I approve of this message.

 

“Joseph Schwab said in 1962 that science is most commonly taught as a “rhetoric of conclusions." He developed sophisticated arguments for teaching science as enquiry."

 

An independent mind is one that is grounded in ‘enquiry’. Enquiry demands the ability to develop significant questions and the ability to utilize good judgment while separating the wheat from the chaff.

 

John Dewey, a great philosopher, psychologist, and pedagogy discussed the discrepancy between the skills valued in adults and the skills taught to children in schools. Dewey lamented the fact that independent thinking skills were demanded of adults but our children were being taught the converse in our schools.

 

My grade school, high school and college education convinces me that Dewey is accurate. I am a retired engineer and my contact with the sciences of physics, mathematics, chemistry, and engineering were completely an experience that was algorithmic (a step-by-step procedure for solving problems) in nature. Later I took courses in the humanities and these were more of a historic enquiry into who thought what and why they thought it at the time that they did so.

 

In my opinion the natural sciences do not prepare an individual to become an independent mind whereas the humanities do a better job of that.

 

Does your schooling lead you to agree with me and Dewey?

 

Quotes from http://www.findarticles.com/p/articl...01/ai_n8934732.

[Tormod]

I frankly don't know. I have little natural sciences on my resume, but a lot of arts and literature. But I don't know if I have a more or less independent mind than my (natural) scientist friends. :hyper:

[Overdog]

I have to agree with you. A balanced education is best, but it is up to the individual to develop his mind to its full potential. Formal education is just a helping start...nothing more. I think Plato said something to the effect that if you work at it all your life, you may finally begin to achieve your full mental potential sometime in your fifties.

[coberst]

I have to agree with you. A balanced education is best, but it is up to the individual to develop his mind to its full potential. Formal education is just a helping start...nothing more. I think Plato said something to the effect that if you work at it all your life, you may finally begin to achieve your full mental potential sometime in your fifties.

 

I agree with you and with Plato. After our school daze are over we need to begin the process of learning about life, our self, and about living together. It is the time to become a self-actualizing self-learner.

[Flying Binghi]

“I count myself one of the number of those who write as they learn and learn as they write.”

 

The written word can free thought - it can also restrict thought.

 

This near illiterate fellow does some of his best thinking in 'pictures' - no surprise to some I'm sure :)