Subject: Bored Students

Posted by Chad Green on 12/29/2010
In Reply To:Bored Students Posted by Jay Forrester on 12/28/2010

Message:

Let's look at the flip-side of Jay's question: the engaged student.

Two weeks ago Science Careers, also a publication of AAAS, had an article on Science's 2010 "Breakthrough of the Year": http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2010_12_17/caredit.a1000120

See the press release: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2010-12/aaft-bo121010.php

If it were up to me, I'd say that Aaron O'Connell's results were the breakthrough of the decade. In any event, I was shocked to learn that he was leaving the field of physics to go into finance for the sake of money and prestige. I simply could not believe it! Is this mindset the result of public education, K-20, or perhaps simply a reflection of the moral values (or lack thereof) of society?

Let's interpret this situation using Clemson's Systems Law #2:

Aaron's breakthrough achievement in quantum physics (output) is dominated by his perceptions of the importance of money, power and prestige (feedback) because what motivates him intrinsically (input) is opaque, incoherent and thus irrelevant. All attempts to educate Aaron with disconnected bits of knowledge from the outside (language) have been to a large extent irrelevant to the development of his self-knowledge.

Here's a follow-up question: What are the implications of Law #2 for Aaron, the field of physics, and society as a whole?

Chad

"The Renaissance, to be concise, has put the journalist in the monk's chair....The tireless creative force, hot and lively passion, intense desire to see and sense, and excessive and diffuse curiosity degenerate after three centuries into hurried sensationalism. We might say indeed that modern man has an epidermis rather than a soul. The sensory power of his body has developed enormously, but it has developed to the detriment of the spiritual faculty." - James Joyce

Follow Ups:

Bored Students - Charles Tse 12/29/2010 
Bored Students - Chad Green 12/29/2010
Bored Students - Kathy Arizmendi 12/29/2010 
Bored Students - Philip Abode 12/29/2010