Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
Accept or reject are not the only options one has. The most important and generally overlooked, especially by the young, is the option to ‘hold’.
It appears to me that many young people consider that ‘to be negative is to be cool’. This leads them into responding that ‘X’ is false when responding to an OP that states that ‘X’ is true.
When a person takes a public position affirming or denying the truth of ‘Y’ they are often locking themselves into a difficult position. If their original position was based on opinion rather than judgment their ego will not easily allow them to change position once they have studied and analyzed ‘Y’.
The moral of this story is that holding a default position of ‘reject or accept’, when we are ignorant, is not smart because our ego will fight any attempt to modify the opinion with a later judgment. Silence, or questions directed at comprehending the matter under consideration, is the smart decision for everyone’s default position.
Our options are reject, accept, and hold. I think that ‘hold’ is the most important and should be the most often used because everyone is ignorant of almost everything.
Do you agree that ‘hold’ should be the option of choice in almost all occasions?
Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
coberst wrote: Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
Accept or reject are not the only options one has. The most important and generally overlooked, especially by the young, is the option to ‘hold’.
It appears to me that many young people consider that ‘to be negative is to be cool’. This leads them into responding that ‘X’ is false when responding to an OP that states that ‘X’ is true.
When a person takes a public position affirming or denying the truth of ‘Y’ they are often locking themselves into a difficult position. If their original position was based on opinion rather than judgment their ego will not easily allow them to change position once they have studied and analyzed ‘Y’.
The moral of this story is that holding a default position of ‘reject or accept’, when we are ignorant, is not smart because our ego will fight any attempt to modify the opinion with a later judgment. Silence, or questions directed at comprehending the matter under consideration, is the smart decision for everyone’s default position.
Our options are reject, accept, and hold. I think that ‘hold’ is the most important and should be the most often used because everyone is ignorant of almost everything.
Do you agree that ‘hold’ should be the option of choice in almost all occasions?
In the light of experience, I would agree with you. However, I can understand why people would choose either 'accept' or 'reject'. Either they are young and part of a peer group which would determine the option for them (until they either broke away from the group or learnt to think for themselves, or both). Or, they may just not care enough about the subject and may just agree with whatever they may think is the concensus. The latter would actually develop an argument for their position so as not to appear dumb. The argument may be based on a general argument derived from more than one source, but mostly from the press. Although, it is possible that they may be open to alternative arguments. Nonetheless, they are unlikely to be interested enough to form their own opinion or even put it on 'hold'.
Accept or reject are not the only options one has. The most important and generally overlooked, especially by the young, is the option to ‘hold’.
It appears to me that many young people consider that ‘to be negative is to be cool’. This leads them into responding that ‘X’ is false when responding to an OP that states that ‘X’ is true.
When a person takes a public position affirming or denying the truth of ‘Y’ they are often locking themselves into a difficult position. If their original position was based on opinion rather than judgment their ego will not easily allow them to change position once they have studied and analyzed ‘Y’.
The moral of this story is that holding a default position of ‘reject or accept’, when we are ignorant, is not smart because our ego will fight any attempt to modify the opinion with a later judgment. Silence, or questions directed at comprehending the matter under consideration, is the smart decision for everyone’s default position.
Our options are reject, accept, and hold. I think that ‘hold’ is the most important and should be the most often used because everyone is ignorant of almost everything.
Do you agree that ‘hold’ should be the option of choice in almost all occasions?
In the light of experience, I would agree with you. However, I can understand why people would choose either 'accept' or 'reject'. Either they are young and part of a peer group which would determine the option for them (until they either broke away from the group or learnt to think for themselves, or both). Or, they may just not care enough about the subject and may just agree with whatever they may think is the concensus. The latter would actually develop an argument for their position so as not to appear dumb. The argument may be based on a general argument derived from more than one source, but mostly from the press. Although, it is possible that they may be open to alternative arguments. Nonetheless, they are unlikely to be interested enough to form their own opinion or even put it on 'hold'.
Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
This is excerpts from an article that I read that disturbs me greatly. I see evidence of this kind of behavior on forums constantly.
"Believing in Yourself" as Classroom Culture
When everyone is right and no one is wrong, what happens to the authority of expertise?
By Susan Ostrov Weisser
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... m.php?f=21
Susan Weisser, college student of the mid-60s became a college professor in the humanities discovered that while pursuing her PhD in English the world changed dramatically. “I believed in my education; now students believe in themselves or say they do¦I don't agree with your personal preferences, my undergraduate first-year writing student confidently responded to my suggestions for how to improve her essay. Susan discovered that today’s student believes in themselves and that belief is unshakable.
Susan considers that her colleagues teaching the natural sciences have an easy task unlike the task of the humanities teacher whose chosen specialty is based to a high degree in subjectivity. The students of the humanities are empowered by ‘interpretive freedom’ based on a presumed subjectivity of their knowledge. These students are likely to accuse their teachers of "He only praises the writing he likes".
There has apparently been a change in the meaning and value of objective knowledge, causing many students to presume that anyone’s opinions are as valid as anyone else’s opinions.
“The thing is, a student once told me after I had tried to introduce a different idea about a text from her own, "a good teacher doesn't give her opinion, she should just help us talk about our opinions so we can learn from each other." Can students learn best from each other? Can the blind lead the blind?
"Believing in Yourself" as Classroom Culture
When everyone is right and no one is wrong, what happens to the authority of expertise?
By Susan Ostrov Weisser
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... m.php?f=21
Susan Weisser, college student of the mid-60s became a college professor in the humanities discovered that while pursuing her PhD in English the world changed dramatically. “I believed in my education; now students believe in themselves or say they do¦I don't agree with your personal preferences, my undergraduate first-year writing student confidently responded to my suggestions for how to improve her essay. Susan discovered that today’s student believes in themselves and that belief is unshakable.
Susan considers that her colleagues teaching the natural sciences have an easy task unlike the task of the humanities teacher whose chosen specialty is based to a high degree in subjectivity. The students of the humanities are empowered by ‘interpretive freedom’ based on a presumed subjectivity of their knowledge. These students are likely to accuse their teachers of "He only praises the writing he likes".
There has apparently been a change in the meaning and value of objective knowledge, causing many students to presume that anyone’s opinions are as valid as anyone else’s opinions.
“The thing is, a student once told me after I had tried to introduce a different idea about a text from her own, "a good teacher doesn't give her opinion, she should just help us talk about our opinions so we can learn from each other." Can students learn best from each other? Can the blind lead the blind?
Op-tion-al il-lu-sions
I would expect a student to have respect for his tutor, irrespective of the nature of the subject. On the other hand, discussion is very important to get out, to discuss ideas and opinions is part of the learning process.
It sounds like the students are getting above themselves. To challenge authority, they must prove themselves capable first. If, because of their attitude, they fail their exams, who will they blame? I suspect that they will blame the tutor.
It sounds like the students are getting above themselves. To challenge authority, they must prove themselves capable first. If, because of their attitude, they fail their exams, who will they blame? I suspect that they will blame the tutor.