Sunday, March 05, 2006
Sunday Intellectual Question: Finding Sources
This is just another thing that I feel deserves some discussion. In today's universe we obviously have access to a lot of information. In schools we seem to be aiming towards being able to find the information but not being able to own it (in memory), or analyse it. Many of our sources claim to be absolutely true and relaible, just look at news commercials on TV that is almost always what they say, combined with the idea that they should be our only source for information. So, what is the best way to find reliable, truthful sources? How should we analyze them and what can we look to as a way of understanding how true they are? Interesting.
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Hey there. You are just too intellectual for a Monday morning. On behalf of schools, (though I'll never be a truly reliable source, since I am biased!!) we do try to teach kids to be analytical about their sources. Does the source have an agenda, a profit to make, a point to promote, etc. How does that effect their view of the material being covered. What people choose to include in their information and exclude tells you alot about their reliability. The biggest problem we have in society and media today, is that the lines between reporting and opinion have almost totally blurred. You have to be extremely careful to read between the lines, to the choice of words used and presentation of information to be aware of the bias there. The only unbiased reporting it seems is on the weather network!!! And even that is open to interpretation.
As for me, I try to remember, "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom" and check the truth out by vetting it through the Holy Spirit. Keep blogging!!!
Hi. Today on the news there was a piece about how a local university has been given a prohibition against using plagarism detection software/databases... I don't know that it goes with your question entirely, but it seems at least a bit relevent.
Chronicle Herald (Halifax).
The students argued that allowing plagarism detection software breeds a feeling of fear and distrust which could emotionally cripple the students, and not allow them to perform at their best. Note that very few of the profs used the now-banned software...
A set first year course that taught people how to cite things properly would probably do better, I think.
wow... welcome to techno-cheating and enabling the degeneration of society....the fear of getting caught should be a bit crippling, don't you think???
But then, no one believes in Hell anymore, so what consequence really is there for anything?
Hey there, I didn't mean to lump all teachers together, certainly there are classes where they attempt to help kids read media. That's great, I don't remember it in my day. I did have a few teachers though who encouraged you to think things through critically. What I was thinking of was how many people, some teachers too, strive to only have their ideas repeated back to them, no analysis. Modern media is probably the worst culprit as there is no room for arguement, you simply accept or reject what they are saying, we can not question the speaker or compair sources at the time. I hope I am paraphrasing Marshall Mcluen properly, but he spoke of the TV being a "floating head" that was god-like and so irrefutable. For the first time in history we are unable as a mass to question the speaker we welcome into our homes. I completely agree with what nancy said, you have to look at who's saying it and why and accept that everyone has an opinion that they are forwarding ... especially the people who claim they have none. And I definately use the bible as my source of truth. I can't use people we change too much!
Thankks great blog
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