APOD: The Antikythera Mechanism (2013 Jan 20)

[Beyond]

...without the ability to think critically.

Think critically OUCH That sounds like it would hurt

[Chris Peterson]

...without the ability to think critically.

Think critically :?: :?: OUCH :!: That sounds like it would hurt :!:

Unfortunately, so many people apparently do find the process of critical thinking painful that they choose not to engage in it at all.

[ta152h0]

I am so thankful to my professor who insisted I learn and practice critical thinking skills. Prof Kotenberg was my dad.

[Beyond]

OK. Just what is "critical thinking"??

[Chris Peterson]

OK. Just what is "critical thinking"??

The term broadly covers a wide range of rational, logical, and analytical skills. It requires skepticism, evidence-based belief, lack of dogmatism, and many other things. The Wikipedia article on the subject seems to do a pretty good job of explaining it.

[Beyond]

OK. Just what is "critical thinking"??

The term broadly covers a wide range of rational, logical, and analytical skills. It requires skepticism, evidence-based belief, lack of dogmatism, and many other things. The Wikipedia article on the subject seems to do a pretty good job of explaining it.

Ok, nothing new to me there, except calling what's 'normal' to me-->critical thinking. But they don't include the more critical-->non-thinking, that is required to let all that 'critical thinking' come together. Perhaps it is called another word.

[Anthony Barreiro]

Plenty of kids still get a liberal arts education. My spawn took astronomy last year because he had to have a science ("Just one??," I asked. Apparently so.) to fulfill his degree requirements. This from a kid who looked for a book on low-temperature physics when he was about 10 and was disappointed that Borders didn't have any... a kid who wanted, and got, a book on the elements.... a kid who was "the" programmer for his high school robotics team and was going to major in computer science!

He expects to graduate in May with a B.A. in philosophy.

I don't see a monomania for STEM; I do see many many kids with poor science and math educations, and many adults who don't have a basic understanding of basic science and math, and without the ability to think critically.

Congratulations to your son!

You're right, students who do not major in sciences should nonetheless get a grounding in basic sciences, just as those who major in the physical sciences sciences should get a grounding in humanities and social sciences. My astronomy club, the San Francisco Amateur Astronomers, does an observing night for Dominican College's freshman survey course called "Big History." Every first year student get five weeks of cosmology, five weeks on the evolution of life, and five weeks of human history. That seems like a great starting point. The students are generally enthusiastic when they come out to look through our telescopes.

[Beyond]

I just ran across this virtual video of the Antikythera Mechanism and how it works. It's about 3-minutes long.

Click to play embedded YouTube video.

[Ann]

Thanks for the video, Beyond. The Antikythera Mechanism was quite amazing.

Ann

[Beyond]

Thanks for the video, Beyond. The Antikythera Mechanism was quite amazing.

Ann

Yes, it is. It's a good thing i didn't hurt myself when i stumbled across it.

[JohnD]

See my post, Jan 21st, page one of this thread, Post No.11.
Same video, on the Guardian website, with an appreciation of the Michael Wright project
John

[Beyond]

See my post, Jan 21st, page one of this thread, Post No.11.
Same video, on the Guardian website, with an appreciation of the Michael Wright project
John

Before posting the video, i perused the threads to see if one had already been posted.
Apparently my perusal had holes in it. Oh-well.
At least with two videos, it's harder to miss

[bystander]

See my post, Jan 21st, page one of this thread, Post No.11.
Same video, on the Guardian website, with an appreciation of the Michael Wright project
John

Before posting the video, i perused the threads to see if one had already been posted.
Apparently my perusal had holes in it. Oh-well.
At least with two videos, it's harder to miss

In fairness, John did not post the video. He posted a link to an article that contained the video, probably the source of the YouTube video.

[JohnD]

It's a fascinating speculation as Martin Wright will admit, because the Mechanism isn't complete; there are lost parts.
John