Is Education Merely Imposing Professors' Beliefs on Learners?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the nature of education and its perceived fragility, questioning whether it merely imposes professors' beliefs and behaviors onto learners. It highlights that education can seem contradictory, as it relies on students replicating established norms, which raises concerns about originality and innovation within the system. However, the conversation also emphasizes the importance of independent critical thinking, suggesting that education should not just be about copying but about understanding and applying knowledge. The idea that education serves to prevent learners from starting from scratch is presented, framing it as a vital institution that builds on the knowledge of previous generations. The dynamic nature of education is acknowledged, with the potential for new ideas to emerge if students engage critically rather than simply conforming.
jk22
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At the base isn't education just imposing prof's beliefs and way of acting to learners ?

So it lasts only if learners copy, but everyone knows that the system is kidding and contradictory, so isn't education fragile ? That's why the profs control and eventually punish discrepancies between what was told or done and the supposed recopying by the learners.

Hence objectively there can be nothing new in this system ?
 
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Inevitably whoever you end up working with for a few years (if you're doing graduate study or employment as a postdoc) will rub off on you. How much depends on whether they are your superior, colleague or subordinate, your personalities and the compatibility of your views.

Apart from that I am not sure what you're asking in your post.
 
jk22 said:
At the base isn't education just imposing prof's beliefs and way of acting to learners ?
No. It's actually about imposing working beliefs and established way of acting to learners, so they can avoid the very ineffective way of finding them on their own.

jk22 said:
Hence objectively there can be nothing new in this system ?

At which level of the education system do you think some new can/should be found?
 
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jk22 said:
At the base isn't education just imposing prof's beliefs and way of acting to learners ?
Not if the students learn and practice independent critical thinking.

I once outraged a professor during an elective seminar covering development of major religions by contradicting his statement beginning "Scientists believe..." by stating that science does not require a learner to believe (in this context where belief implies faith) but to understand.
jk22 said:
Hence objectively there can be nothing new in this system ?
Lability, such as copying a professor or any authority figure, does not constitute a system. Dynamic systems by definition, change; accommodating the new.
 
jk22 said:
At the base isn't education just imposing prof's beliefs and way of acting to learners ?

Suppose she herself is well taught and understands much: why do you pose it as an indictment?

Education is what humans do so each generation doesn't have to start from scratch. It is the finest of institutions . See farther...shoulders of giants...
 
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