Flashback to the First Decade of the 21st century

I wrote this about eight years ago or so.

1. Terrorists attack the US on 911. An event that may have been avoided if the Clintonistas had not dropped the ball with respect to Al-Qaeda during their term in office (remember the Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania attacks). George Bush  is given the task of cleaning up the meanwhile airline flights will never be the same again.

2. The collapse of GM, Chrysler, AIG, Lehman Brothers and the US housing mortgage industry (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). Both political parties are to blame but so are greed, entitlements, lax banking and affirmative action driven economics.

3. The continued growth of China into an economic superpower - certainly from a manufacturing standpoint - Is there anything still made in the West?

4. Globalization saunters on driven by the power of the Internet - never in the history of our species have so many bad ideas spread so quickly.

5. Considerable time, money, resources and newsprint is spent on the global warming meme despite the fact that no average global temperature increase has been recorded since 1998. Expect more (much more on this topic) over the next decade as wealth distribution agreements such as that of Kyoto, with little chance of influencing climate change, are thrust down the throats of a naive public.

6. The US becomes an even more significant debtor nation as the false doctrine of spending more to stimulate the economy is followed. Not to mention the equally fallacious doctrine of bailing out failed institutions.

7. His holiness Barack Obama is elected president. Most of the muppets who follow BO would place him at #1. His health policies are noteworthy but on the foreign policy front he still seems like a lightweight.

8. The Iraq War and the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. I was lukewarm about the invasion myself as I felt that it detracted from the real war on terror and it wouldn't surprise me if Iraq has another strong man ruling the roost by decade's end.

9. Invasion of Afghanistan and the ongoing fight against the Taliban. This seems like one of those never ending sagas to me. The US erred in not fighting this war with a proper commitment from the beginning - my feeling is that the Taliban needs to be hit firmly with one solid strike - after that NATO should pull out and let regional players such as Pakistan handle what is clearly a situation in their own backyard.

10. The Bolivarian Movement in South America is galvanized by Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales. Each fully intent on padding their egos by the same absolute margins that they deflate their economies.

11. AIDS continues to be a deadly disease in Africa while many Western sufferers enjoy the benefits of life prolonging cocktail of medicines. In little mentioned news George W. Bush ups aid to Africa, but how much of this will reach the most needy is any one's bet.

12. Substantial economic growth in tech obsessed India is ever more the reality despite the fact that a population of over 1.1 billion souls continues to strain resources.

13. The New Left gorgon manifests itself strongly within the growing Environmentalist cult. Just when you thought Communism was dead you have the sequel......

14. Decline in standards of Educkashun (sic) across Europe. Tick one for leftist dominated institutions rolling back the progress of the Age of Reason.

15. More Attacks on Freedom of Speech as Political Correctness (Hate Laws and Speech Codes) gain ground across the West. Meanwhile the ACLU pimps itself out as the champion of those who would truly deny free speech and human rights to all.

16. Pakistan is plagued by corruption, poor leadership, civil war and internal strife - this wouldn't be much of a problem if they didn't have nukes as well.

17. Iran's Islamic regime becomes all the more belligerent as it follows a policy of nuclear weapons acquisition and development - while at the same time being controlled by a cabal of apocalyptic fanatics.

18. North Korea (who most certainly have nuclear technology - no thanks to Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton's appeasement) persist as a regional/global menace...if for nothing else than to p*ss off the West and make some money on the side.

19. Vladmir Putin dominates Russian politics and continues to throw his country's weight around internationally as a foil against the US. He bullies poor Georgia but somehow, in this world of relativisms, gets away with it.

20. Israel hands back the Gaza Strip to the Palestinians and is rewarded for its efforts by a battery of rocket attacks. Both Bush and Obama push for a two state solution while Israel's regional enemies refuse to recognize the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

21. South African's elect former thug (and probable rapist) Jacob Zuma as president - soon to be the African Chavez.

22. The Iranian democratic movement fights bravely for human rights for the Persian populace only to be let down by Obama and co. who takes a play from the father of the Iranian Revolution, Jimmy Carter instead of Ronald Reagan.

Europe - A History of Control

European Nations which have been controlled in historical times by other Powers.

Country ---- Controller Nation/s

Norway ---- Denmark/Sweden
Scotland ---- England
Ireland ---- England
Poland ---- Russia/France/Austria/Germany
Hungary ---- Austria
Portugal ---- Spain
Netherlands ---- Spain
Finland ---- Russia
Greece ---- Turkey
Serbia ---- Turkey
Northern Italy ---- Austria
Switzerland ---- Austria
Southern Italy ---- Spain
Belgium ---- Netherlands
Bulgaria ---- Turkey
Croatia ---- Austria
Armenia ---- Turkey
Czech Republic ---- Austria
Malta ---- England
Cyprus ---- England
Lithuania ---- Poland
Romania ---- Turkey
Slovenia ---- Austria
Slovakia ---- Austria
Montenegro ---- Serbia

Personal Reflection XV - My Teaching Philosophy

I believe that total education can be divided into three realms: the parental/family, societal and the school-based pedagogy. The parental/family falls outside the jurisdiction of the teacher, but does impact the individual significantly. It is the first source of education that the student receives. It can carry the wisdom of survival skills and cultural continuance but may also be biased with prejudices and misconceptions of previous generations.

The same is true of the societal/community whose impact on the student is defined in Blos’s second individuation[i]. Peer groups and the media/internet influence the student here as do the external factors of community (secular and/or religious) and extended family. Again the teacher’s role in this realm is minimal.

So in a sense it must be understood that the teacher’s sphere of influence in total education is not all-encompassing but largely limited to school-based pedagogy. Too often I believe, teachers forget about the dynamics and importance of non-classroom education leading to myopic expectations. This is certainly not to downplay the role of a teacher. School-based pedagogy is vital in stimulating self-initiative thinking and can in many cases make up for shortfalls in other avenues of the total education process. However a realistic sense of expectations and boundary is essential.

In my philosophy I see teachers as builders – constructors of frameworks upon which the student can develop skills for knowledge acquisition. A teacher is both an assessor and an evaluator but most important a linkage facilitator supplying the student with the tools to close the gaps between the known and the unknown. In such a regard my philosophy has been influenced by the Russian thinker Lev Vygotsky who referred to these gaps as ‘Zones of Proximal Development’[ii]. Like Vygotsky I see the force of culture as aiding this bridging interplay, but without the input of a competent teacher, the process would be compromised in the classroom.

I have seen this first hand in my own learning experience where sub-standard teaching failed to close the gaps of understanding at the time leaving me with a sense of under-accomplishment and an overall lowering of self confidence. It is therefore a factor that I am always conscious of in my praxis. At both my private school teaching, as well as my practicum I have made it a strong priority that my students are not left with any erroneous understanding of concepts (in the complexity of my teachable, physics, these pitfalls are all too abundant).

Teaching in another sense is about the development of skills as well as the opening up of the student’s mind to various social and cultural perspectives. It is about finding the real essence in what there is to know and understanding the strengths and weaknesses of our assumptions. It is about learning to think and analyze not merely for purely sophist reasons but to add to human understanding and improvement – both on a personal and then perhaps a universal level.

So in a way I am a pragmatic idealist (I don’t see these philosophies as mutually exclusive) but if one does not enter with a full heart then one’s role as a teacher is easily reduced to that of a mechanical processor – a system shunter – which is not in my opinion what the profession is supposed to be. I don’t believe in languishing in the mundane for it is in the extraordinary that our species moves forward and overcomes its difficulties. Too often students don’t see this as they trod disparate pathways, but what they need to know, is that the extraordinary is not only a product of self but often arises through co-operation with others and the breaking of stereotypes. Therefore I am a strong believer in project based team learning opportunities as a format for ideas generation, synthesizing of academic synergies and enrichment through cultural meme exchange.

I am a fervent proponent of the cultivation of the holistic learner and of cross-disciplinary teaching. I feel that it is important to go beyond the subject divisions (that have their basis in Aristotelian philosophy[iii]) to make the connections between academic fields and so nourish the meshwork that provides for both novel thought and informed action.

Understanding the activities of the understated Han, Mayan and Songhai[iv] civilizations is directly linked with the mathematics behind their calendars and agricultural systems, a comparative theme that I have consciously reinforced in both the history and science courses that I have taught. If one looks further with the foresight to bridge it will become evident that such examples are ubiquitous and that divorced from a blinkered outlook provide for a clearer picture to the student of the total knowledge panorama.

In a sense the product created extends far beyond its parts and begs for the inclusion of differing perspectives for further enhancement. Learning then enlivens fueled by a dynamic inclusion of the broader human picture. For this is what school-based pedagogy is. Not just a series of eureka moments, but a strengthened matrix of knowledge that complements and prepares the student for their complete education so that they can live fuller with a richness of life and an enhanced understanding of others.

EndNotes
[i] Muuss, R.E. (1980). Peter Blos’ Modern Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Adolescence. J. of Adolescence, 1980, 3, 229-252.

[ii] Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society: The Development of Higher Psychological Processes. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press.

[iii] The Complete Works of Aristotle: The Revised Oxford Translation (2 Volume Set; Bollingen Series, Vol. LXXI, No. 2), edited by Jonathan Barnes ISBN 0-691-09950-2

[iv] For more on the Songhai Empire read Duiker W. and Spielvogel J. (2004) World History 4th Edition Thomson Wadsworth pg 400-405.

Western History Event 83 - The Brilliance of Renaissance Art

Schools of Art during the Renaissance were themselves driven by a rebirth of classical ideas, enhanced patronage and innovation. While Florence is often viewed as the center of Renaissance Art this is somewhat misleading as there were renowned schools in Naples, Venice and Rome. In addition France, Germany, Britain and the Low Countries were significant contributors to the art of this period.

The Following table breaks down the Four Periods of Renaissance art and highlights the various artists associated with each.  Key style techniques that developed during the Renaissance include a better understanding of proportion, foreshortening (creates the illusion of depth), stumato (blurring) and chiaroscuro (Contrast light and dark).

Table 14 Renaissance Periods in Italy

Period	Timeline	Key Facets of the Art	Chief Artists
Proto Renaissance Italian	1280-1400	Figurative, religious themed, influenced by the classics, three-dimensional	Giotto, Nicola Pisano, Giovanni Pisano, Giorgio Vasari
Early Renaissance	1400-1475	Greater focus on naturalism. Mystical union with God.	Massacio, Paolo Ucello, Piero della Francesca
High Renaissance	1475-1525	More influence of light and perspective. Strong definition of classical; spirit – harmony, beauty and serenity. Better detailing of anatomy.	Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Titian
Mannerism	1525 -1600	Exaggerates qualities of proportion, beauty and balance. Great degree of Intellectual sophistication.	Andrea del Sarto, Pontormo, Tintoretto

Renaissance Art was by no means limited to Italy. There were great schools of art in Germany, France, Britain and the Low Countries. Notable artists from these regions include – Albrecht Durer, Hans Holbein, Michael Pacher, Enguerrand Quarton, Jean Fouquet, Jean Hey, the Limbourg brothers, Nicholas Hilliard, Jan van Eyck, Higo van der Goes, Hieronymous Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Rogier van der Weyden.

Personal Reflection XIV - Logic and sense Knowledge

I think that logic can be viewed as a type of gradualism that is water tight and invaluable in moving us toward a genuine source of knowledge or truth. However it does appear that there are other mechanisms which use a more punctuated approach, that while not as stringent in its application, and indeed not as gradual, use value judgement acting on sensory information to reach a similar conclusion. Is the latter a type of reason? I too would argue yes. Can it be reduced? Possibly. But perhaps something is lost in doing so. Maybe it functions on a level that bypasses the need for mini-steps, chunking information in bigger bytes to reach its endpoint with a greater efficiency.

Some Cool Moments in Physics

James Clerk Maxwell unifies the world of the electricity and magnetism on a theoretical level and shows how the speed of light in a vacuum is a function of two key constants that govern each of the electric and magnetic fields. Maxwell’s work gives rise to the notion of electromagnetic waves two types of which will be identified by Heinrich Hertz (Radio Waves) and Wilhelm Roentgen (X Rays)

Max Planck solves the Blackbody Radiation Problem by arguing that energy is produced in discrete packets called quanta and that the Energy of each quanta is directly proportional to the frequency of oscillation of the quanta. Planck’s model answers the challenge of the UV catastrophe which classical physics had failed to adequately address. I developing his concept of the quanta Planck borrows heavily from the work of Ludwig Boltzmann, the father of statistical mechanics.Planck, himself is regarded as the Father of Quantum Mechanics (and indeed Modern Physics)

JJ Thompson determines the ratio of the mass of the electron to its charge. Robert Millikan will follow on later with a determination of the charge of the electron (through his oil droplet experiment) allowing for the eventual determination of the mass of the electron. Quantum nature of charge will play an important role in future developments in Modern Physics.

Henri Becquerel documents the realities of radioactive decay. Work will continue thanks to the research by Pierre and Marie Curie

Michelson and Morley Experiment shows that the Aether wind (thought to be the background of space) does not exist.

Western History 82: What was Renaissance Humanism?

Renaissance Humanism (RH) represents a philosophical reaction to medieval Christian scholasticism. At its core RH was driven notions of practicality, improvement within a classical framework. It sought to create a well rounded citizen who could engage in the secular disciplines – grammar, rhetoric, poetry that departed from the narrowness of scholasticism. The concept of the Renaissance Man as the master of many disciplines is an outcrop from such philosophy. The Italian cities of Florence, Naples, Rome, Venice and Genoa were the centers of such thought that offered at its core a recourse to rationalism.

Giordano Bruno source: National Catholic Register

As a way of thinking RH influenced both the Reformation and Counter-Reformation and seems to have played a key role in both the Age of Reason and the Enlightenment.

An important aspect of RH was its emphasis on the individual, classical philosophy and Platonism. Leading RH thinkers include Giordano Bruno, Cornelius Agrippa, Pico della Mirandola and the Dutchman Desiderius Erasmus.

Desiderius Erasmus. source: biography.com