Everyone has their pet peeves about knowledge but I think they are just that. Some of my physics professors thought everyone should be required to learn calculus and physics in high school. They considered anyone that didn't know physics to be dumb. I think one could make a fair argument that knowledge of physics is just as important as geography. How can undertanding the Universe not be considered to be fundamental knowledge? How many fewer mistakes people would make with a good understanding of statistics and probability.
In reality though, most people just want to go about their everyday lives. Go to work, raise their kids, barbeque on weekends, watch television. I think that attitude is just fine. There are plenty enough people concerned about astronomy, world politics, technology, or whatever else it is that helps society keep ticking.
It doesn't bother me one bit that the majority (?) of high school students can't correctly explain the reason for the seasons, have no idea what the Big Bang is, have a warped view of evolution, and have no idea whether the North Pole is warmer than the South Pole on average or not. Many intelligent adults don't know these things either. Time keeps on ticking ...
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01-14-2003
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