The Mayan civilization thrived between 250 to 900 AD. The Popol Vuh describes the gods first creating three failed worlds, followed by a successful fourth world in which humanity was placed. In the Maya Long Count, the previous world ended after 13 b'ak'tuns, or roughly 5,125 years. The Long Count's "zero date"was set at a point in the past marking the end of the third world and the beginning of the current one, which corresponds to 11 August 3114 BC. This means that the fourth world will also have reached the end of its 13th b'ak'tun, or Mayan date 13.0.0.0.0, on December 21, 2012. In 1957, Mayanist and astronomer Maud Worcester Makemson wrote that "the completion of a Great Period of 13 b'ak'tuns would have been of the utmost significance to the Maya". There is a suggestion that Armageddon would overtake the degenerate peoples of the world and all creation on the final day of the 13th b'ak'tun. Thus our present universe would be annihilated in December 2012 when the Great Cycle of the Long Count reaches completion."
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_phenomenon)
1) Why is this example a demonstration of "pseudoscience"? Describe the evidence of why this is a good example.
Pseudo-scientific hypotheses are not testable. Due to fact that the hypothesis is predicting one event that will occur in the future, something we cannot simulate in the lab, there is no scientific way to test if the apocalypse will occur. Because it is something that has never happened in the past, there is no evidence from previous investigations that this could occur. The 2012 phenomenon is a good example of pseudoscience because it is vague. According to the Mayans, on Dec 21, 2012 there will be a destruction of the fourth world and creation of the fifth world. Because we have no detailed account of what they really believed would happen, the prediction is extremely vague.
2) Are there any legitimate scientific claims?
There are scientific claims that the planets will align on Dec 21, 2012, according to astrology studied by both the Mayans and modern scientists, but this does not indicate the apocalypse will occur. There iis no scientific evidence that the apocalypse will occur.
3) What are the claims that are either not possible or very difficult to support?
One claim that is difficult to support is that the end of the Mayan calendar indicates the end of the world (according to the Mayas). This is because the civilization was wiped out thousands of years ago, and therefore we only have a small quantity of artifacts, and historians or Mayanist scholars can only draw a limited number of conclusions from these artifacts. The conclusions are not necessarily true as different artifacts could be used for different purposes than those assumed. The language is also extremely difficult to understand and only a handful of scholars claim to be able to read it. There is no guarantee that the scholars are decoding the intended message (in this case the symbols indicating dates on a calendar and written religious documents concerning the fourth world).
It is impossible to support the claim that the world will end through divine intervention because humans do not have direct connections with the Mayan gods and therefore cannot tell if the gods exist and will perform such an apocalypse.
4) Why do you think people might "fall for" this particular claim?
It is known that the Mayans were scientifically and mathematically advanced for their time, and were able to develop calculations and technology. Therefore, people today think it is probable the Mayan prediction is correct because they trust the civilization's expertise. Because we have technology that allows us to verify the prediction about the planet alignment, this alignment does not necessarily indicate an apocalypse.
Monday, November 28
Wednesday, October 5
Paradigm Shift
Throughout my childhood, I believed the paradigm that school cafeteria food was actually prepared on location, and food sold to students was nutritious and substantial. But as I grew older, I realized that the meals became more and more artificial. When I heard that BTHS was going to have a cafeteria, I expected a sophisticated, healthy cafe, with a salad bar, soup and sandwiches prepared fresh. High school students require nutritious fuel to work hard during the most crucial part of education thus far. However, I was incredibly disappointed and extremely shocked to find a Sodexho sign at the lunch line. The paradigm was that authority (especially teachers who act as role models for students) cares about and takes action to promote the health of young adults. However, there was a huge paradigm shift for me to find that it was not necessarily true that people of higher positions made the best, educated decisions. Watching the documentary "Supersize Me" supported the paradigm shift that cheap, tasty food is not at all healthy, and also supported that decision-making individuals are uneducated in care of young adults. Therefore, I, along with most educated individuals in the community, say out with the frozen, artificial junk, and in with the fresh, natural fuel! This is clear evidence of a paradigm shift in my own life, and in the community.
Tuesday, September 13
Unpacking a Knowledge Issue: Summer
Summarize the situation or PT in your own words.
I spent the week of July 4th volunteering in Wyoming County, an impoverished area in West Virginia. I lived in a grade school with the PV Volunteers with no cell phone service, television, movies, music, email, internet, news, working clock, or hot shower water. The nearest grocery store and gas station were an hour away. When a thunderstorm hit one day, we lost electricity that also controlled the plumbing. We volunteers spent our days helping make the residents' lives healthier, happier and easier by repairing homes and community centers, tutoring school children, cleaning up the environmental effects of local coal mining, and visiting patients at the nursing home for the mentally ill. After this, we played board games and sports together, and reflected on our days as a group. Each night we discussed a different topic whether it be judgment, spirituality, short-term and long-term goals, learning from mistakes, attitude, coping with loss or minor setbacks, optimism, and how to live life to the fullest. Without the distraction of technology, and with the access to the opinions of a small community, I was able to understand my goals in life, and how to be the best and happiest person I can be. I was able to mold myself as a unique PV Volunteer. Without this life-changing experience, I would still be lost, without a purpose.
What areas of knowledge or ways of knowing are involved?
Technology influences language, emotion, perception and reason.
What issues or ideas are related to the situation or PT?
Email, text messages, phone calling, and video chatting alter our communication and therefore our language. Human-to-human interaction allows for conversations with deeper meaning. Human-to-human interaction that occurs during volunteering allows us to discover how each person is different. The increase in technology use in society today gives excuses for not traveling and experiencing other cultures. The only way to truly understand something is to experience it. The communication through text rather than using all 5 senses minimizes the actual learning and knowledge gained on a subject. Discussion and reflection in groups, like PV Volunteers, is a priceless, valuable form of communication and language. Solely with others' past experiences and others' interpretations, it is possible to figure out one-self's purpose, goals, and values. It is easier to discover one-self's unique qualities when technology/media is not pressing "ideal" purpose, goals and values.
The media as portrayed through technology, namely the internet, film and other art forms shows clearly stereotypical success stories, and so-called "perfect individuals", that forces society to conform, when in fact this is not possible for everybody. Technology taps into the emotions of viewers teaching them right and wrong, Therefore, it is important for individuals to make their own plans based on their strengths and weaknesses. Technology affects our values, showing us that competition rather than teamwork is "right", and that wasting time just thinking is "wrong". Technology also forces us to perceive events the same way and to trust the senses of the sole reporters of the events. We are essentially made robots. Without different interpretations and values, we would not be able to make new knowledge claims and advance society, therefore technology prevents the expansion of knowledge in society.
Technology affects our reasoning because it is designed to do many forms of reasoning for us like math problems, and research. Therefore, we do not get enough experience figuring things out on our own, which makes us less human. Technology seems to train us to quickly have the right answer, without trial and error, the natural human way of discovering the correct way to complete a task.
What is the knowledge problem?
Constant use of technology distracts us from reflecting on our own lives and molding ourselves to be the best we can be.
State the knowledge issue.
To what extent does technology influence our perception, emotion, language, and reason?
I spent the week of July 4th volunteering in Wyoming County, an impoverished area in West Virginia. I lived in a grade school with the PV Volunteers with no cell phone service, television, movies, music, email, internet, news, working clock, or hot shower water. The nearest grocery store and gas station were an hour away. When a thunderstorm hit one day, we lost electricity that also controlled the plumbing. We volunteers spent our days helping make the residents' lives healthier, happier and easier by repairing homes and community centers, tutoring school children, cleaning up the environmental effects of local coal mining, and visiting patients at the nursing home for the mentally ill. After this, we played board games and sports together, and reflected on our days as a group. Each night we discussed a different topic whether it be judgment, spirituality, short-term and long-term goals, learning from mistakes, attitude, coping with loss or minor setbacks, optimism, and how to live life to the fullest. Without the distraction of technology, and with the access to the opinions of a small community, I was able to understand my goals in life, and how to be the best and happiest person I can be. I was able to mold myself as a unique PV Volunteer. Without this life-changing experience, I would still be lost, without a purpose.
What areas of knowledge or ways of knowing are involved?
Technology influences language, emotion, perception and reason.
What issues or ideas are related to the situation or PT?
Email, text messages, phone calling, and video chatting alter our communication and therefore our language. Human-to-human interaction allows for conversations with deeper meaning. Human-to-human interaction that occurs during volunteering allows us to discover how each person is different. The increase in technology use in society today gives excuses for not traveling and experiencing other cultures. The only way to truly understand something is to experience it. The communication through text rather than using all 5 senses minimizes the actual learning and knowledge gained on a subject. Discussion and reflection in groups, like PV Volunteers, is a priceless, valuable form of communication and language. Solely with others' past experiences and others' interpretations, it is possible to figure out one-self's purpose, goals, and values. It is easier to discover one-self's unique qualities when technology/media is not pressing "ideal" purpose, goals and values.
The media as portrayed through technology, namely the internet, film and other art forms shows clearly stereotypical success stories, and so-called "perfect individuals", that forces society to conform, when in fact this is not possible for everybody. Technology taps into the emotions of viewers teaching them right and wrong, Therefore, it is important for individuals to make their own plans based on their strengths and weaknesses. Technology affects our values, showing us that competition rather than teamwork is "right", and that wasting time just thinking is "wrong". Technology also forces us to perceive events the same way and to trust the senses of the sole reporters of the events. We are essentially made robots. Without different interpretations and values, we would not be able to make new knowledge claims and advance society, therefore technology prevents the expansion of knowledge in society.
Technology affects our reasoning because it is designed to do many forms of reasoning for us like math problems, and research. Therefore, we do not get enough experience figuring things out on our own, which makes us less human. Technology seems to train us to quickly have the right answer, without trial and error, the natural human way of discovering the correct way to complete a task.
What is the knowledge problem?
Constant use of technology distracts us from reflecting on our own lives and molding ourselves to be the best we can be.
State the knowledge issue.
To what extent does technology influence our perception, emotion, language, and reason?
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