Reply #69: In school [View All]

[Stunster]

students sometimes ask questions which really can't be answered in a few sentences. They require a thorough familiarity with the literature.

Suppose I'm a teacher in high school, and in the course of answering another question I have to make reference to quantum physics, and suppose a student asks me to explain what quantum physics is and how it is justified. I just couldn't do it in a single class, and the student would really need to go and read and study a lot of stuff which is quite difficult material, and even then the student might not grasp it fully.

Even a lot of very well educated people don't grasp it fully. Even some theoretical physicists are deeply puzzled by aspects of it. Etc.

Ok, with Biblical scholarship and questions about the reliability of the Biblical texts, there's no way to give a short answer that fully satisfies a questioner, even if they're open-minded and bright. It takes further study, and it's quite difficult material.

The same goes for any academic discipline, in fact. That's why there's universities and other institutions of higher learning, and stuff.

So, I'm suggesting that if you really want to take a real good look at the evidence, and the arguments, and so forth, you need to read some books.

It's not a crime, and it might even change your thinking about certain things.

But if you're unwilling even to give it a try, then I'm not really sure what the point of discussing these issues with you is.

Now a student may say to a physics teacher, on hearing some of the surprising things about quantum mechanics, or about a surprising thing in string theory (such as there being ten spatial dimensions, etc)---things which don't tally with everyday experience---"Hey Mister, that's a load of bull."

But the student would be wrong. But the teacher couldnt' refute the student right away. He could only advise the student to study further, and think about what he learns from that study.

I'm suggesting that things that you think are a load of bull are not a load of bull, and that you're wrong, and I'm suggesting that you study further and think about what you learn from that study.