wedrifid comments on Two More Things to Unlearn from School - Less Wrong

54 Post author: Eliezer_Yudkowsky 12 July 2007 05:45PM

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Comment author: buybuydandavis 22 September 2011 10:00:28AM 15 points [-]

In school, There are right answers. Copying from a reference work with known solutions is forbidden. Copying from someone else is forbidden. Asking someone who knows is forbidden. Working with others is often forbidden. Testing out the answer against reality is forbidden or impractical. You are expected to find the right answer by rooting around in your own head.

It would be difficult to find more crippling and maladaptive habits to instill in a mind that wanted to deal with reality.

Comment author: wedrifid 22 September 2011 01:59:52PM 3 points [-]

Testing out the answer against reality is forbidden or impractical.

Not to mention counterproductive. You don't want right answers, you want 'Right' answers. Reality is far too narrow minded to be a good authority-figure-satisfier.

Comment author: buybuydandavis 29 September 2011 02:58:30AM 4 points [-]

There goes my foolishness again. When am I gong to get with the program? I'll try that last sentence again.

You are expected to find the right answer by rooting around in your own head for what the teacher said.

Better?

Comment author: wedrifid 29 September 2011 03:39:21AM 0 points [-]

There's my preferred brand of cynicism! Much better. ;)

Comment author: buybuydandavis 30 September 2011 09:36:30AM 1 point [-]

I stand corrected.