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Thoughts XXV - Quotes



From Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1834) we note both the left (e.g. Marx) and right have used his philosophy in their own interests. Here are two paraphrased quotes and applicable today.

---Freedom under law is a constructive force.  Freedom from law is impossible in nature and destructive in society. 

---Morality must be a common bond, not an individual preference.

An amusing anecdote about Hegel, famous for his opacity, is this. When asked what a particularly difficult paragraph in one of his books actually meant, Hegel responded, "When I wrote it, only God and I understood its meaning.  Now only God does."
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Another quote but not from Hegel: The embers of enlightenment may glow for centuries before catching fire.
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Speaking of philosophy, I could give a course on Immanuel Kant***, a philosopher difficult to understand.  I could, in my lectures, give 50 of his philosophical issues with appropriate responses. I could tell my students that ten of these issues in the form of questions would be on the exam and to give the response.  Most students would get them correct.  Almost none would understand what they submitted.  Such is the exam format of modern college courses and modern political debates; they differentiate only those who prepare.
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How to eliminate terrorism?  Just declare it doesn't exist, and if that fails, ignore it.  This is a common technique, used particularly by failing institutions.  For example, United States school children have for years performed poorly on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test, the internationally accepted measure of academic performance in math, science, and reading****. In math the US came in 36th, in science 28th and in reading 24th. Not good. Even with much testing and the Common Core Curriculum, which were supposed to improve student performance, student performance still decreased.  In fact, in the past year (Scholastic Aptitude Test) SAT scores dropped again*. Back to the PISA, it is not surprising to hear from the educationalists on this. They say, "Ignore PISA entirely**."  Basically, it is irrelevant to the already great US educational system. In the stroke of a pen, a problem is solved. We will see the education community climb on board quickly.  

Is this something like a country not doing well at the Olympics unilaterally declaring these contests are irrelevant to our already excellent sports programs?

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*http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/high_school_and_beyond/2016/09/SAT_results_2016.html
**https://www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/ignore-pisa-entirely-argues-top-academic
*** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kant
**** http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26249042
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