This is http://www.essayz.com/a9003033.htm Previous-Essay <== This-Essay ==> Following-Essay Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words. {Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.} ========================================================== %SCIENCE EDUCATION MANIPULATED OBJECT RELATE PERSON 900303 Our programs of science education have trained us to focus our attention upon objects, substances, and pieces of the whole; and have diverted our attention away from the quality of our personal relationships. Our programs of science education have trained us to focus our attention upon analyses, predictions, manipulations, coercions, control, confirmation, generalizations, universal laws, and consensus. Our programs of science education have diverted our attention away from activities which might focus upon personal integration and integrity, spontaneity and authenticity, intimate friendships, unique individuals and experiences; and away from the resolution of conflicts among our ideals and values. Our programs of science education have focused upon manipulative research to accumulate more technical knowledge in science journals; and have diverted attention away from helping all people understand such knowledge, and away from helping all people to see ways to put such knowledge to integrative use in helping everyone solve their own problems in informed ways. Our programs of science education have focused upon creating a few scientific experts in the hope that they will come up with solutions to our daily problems; and so they have undermined our sense of responsibility to honestly work to solve our own problems in the best ways we know how. They have not taught us how to solve our own problems; but to rely on technical experts. Because of the traditional character of our programs of science education we focus our attention upon objects, substances, analysis, manipulations, and technical efforts to be in control. These are the attitudes; the habits of mind and heart, which are the essence of our addictive patterns of behavior. Our programs of science education have led us to have attitudes which make us think that crack, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, salt, sugar, calories, etc. are the objects and substances which cause addiction; and to try to control the behavior of our addicts by trying to control their use of such substances. Central to all our addictive behaviors are habits of mind and heart pertaining to our ideals and values. All addictions have to do with the quality of our human relationships: How honest are they? How manipulative and/ or coercive are they? How authentically intimate are they? How defensive or secure are they? How balanced, cooperative, and mutually helpful are they? These are questions which our science education programs have taught us to avoid; because such questions cannot be answered objectively, as they have to do with reflexive relationships in which we are essential participants. Scientists cannot deal honestly with such questions because their training has taught them to avoid such questions. To resolve our crisis in science education and our crisis with regard to our addictive behaviors we will have to deal honestly with these facts of life. We will continue to suffer so long as we respect and support our leaders who refuse to deal honestly with these facts of life. (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy) ==========================================================