General > General Technical Chat
What are your thoughts on STEM education in schools? Good, bad and ugly?
<< < (13/13)
Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: coppice on February 24, 2020, 06:43:10 pm ---This is nonsense. If you look at the story of most major scientific achievements there was a race to get to the answer ahead of someone else, to win either money or prestige. If you look at engineering, competition is an inherent part of the activity. The only engineering free of competition is when its being protected, and cosseted projects seldom end well.

--- End quote ---
You seem eager to make the exception the rule. Competition can create a valuable dynamic but it can be disastrous too. Skirting danger or ignoring proper procedure in an attempt to gain an advantage or keeping results to yourself when others could have advanced the subject. Some people are brilliant in some areas and not so brilliant in others and when it's a competition that brilliance is likely lost. Science is as about exchange of knowledge and working towards a goal together instead of just competition. Not to mention science isn't about winning Nobel prizes. It's about advancing knowledge and hopefully making the world a tiny bit better. If everyone wants to be top dog it all goes to shit.
SiliconWizard:

--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 24, 2020, 07:02:49 pm ---
--- Quote from: coppice on February 24, 2020, 06:43:10 pm ---This is nonsense. If you look at the story of most major scientific achievements there was a race to get to the answer ahead of someone else, to win either money or prestige. If you look at engineering, competition is an inherent part of the activity. The only engineering free of competition is when its being protected, and cosseted projects seldom end well.

--- End quote ---
You seem eager to make the exception the rule. Competition can create a valuable dynamic but it can be disastrous too. Skirting danger or ignoring proper procedure in an attempt to gain an advantage or keeping results to yourself when others could have advanced the subject. Some people are brilliant in some areas and not so brilliant in others and when it's a competition that brilliance is likely lost. Science is as about exchange of knowledge and working towards a goal together instead of just competition. Not to mention science isn't about winning Nobel prizes. It's about advancing knowledge and hopefully making the world a tiny bit better. If everyone wants to be top dog it all goes to shit.

--- End quote ---

You make a point, but you seem to be considering competition almost on an individual level.
People can be cooperative in groups, but still compete with other groups - this is very frequent IMO, and exhibits both behaviors.

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 24, 2020, 07:14:59 pm ---You make a point, but you seem to be considering competition almost on an individual level.
People can be cooperative in groups, but still compete with other groups - this is very frequent IMO, and exhibits both behaviors.

--- End quote ---
Sure, but the discussion was about individuals. I don't think anyone can deny competition is part of the human condition but cooperation definitely is as well. Being human is largely defined by cooperative attributes and behaviours. The whole standing on the shoulders of giants bit recognizes that our individual achievements are minor and depend on the many that came before us.
coppice:

--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 24, 2020, 07:23:09 pm ---
--- Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 24, 2020, 07:14:59 pm ---You make a point, but you seem to be considering competition almost on an individual level.
People can be cooperative in groups, but still compete with other groups - this is very frequent IMO, and exhibits both behaviors.

--- End quote ---
Sure, but the discussion was about individuals. I don't think anyone can deny competition is part of the human condition but cooperation definitely is as well. Being human is largely defined by cooperative attributes and behaviours. The whole standing on the shoulders of giants bit recognizes that our individual achievements are minor and depend on the many that came before us.

--- End quote ---
You seem to see cooperation as the opposite of competition. It isn't. The opposite of competing is simply accepting defeat. For any task too big for one person a high level of cooperation is essential to be competitive. Do you think the highly cooperative behaviour in a team sport is any less competitive than the behaviour of a player in an individual sport?
synsis:

--- Quote from: coppice on February 29, 2020, 02:23:53 am ---
--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on February 24, 2020, 07:23:09 pm ---
--- Quote from: SiliconWizard on February 24, 2020, 07:14:59 pm ---You make a point, but you seem to be considering competition almost on an individual level.
People can be cooperative in groups, but still compete with other groups - this is very frequent IMO, and exhibits both behaviors.

--- End quote ---
Sure, but the discussion was about individuals. I don't think anyone can deny competition is part of the human condition but cooperation definitely is as well. Being human is largely defined by cooperative attributes and behaviours. The whole standing on the shoulders of giants bit recognizes that our individual achievements are minor and depend on the many that came before us.

--- End quote ---
You seem to see cooperation as the opposite of competition. It isn't. The opposite of competing is simply accepting defeat. For any task too big for one person a high level of cooperation is essential to be competitive. Do you think the highly cooperative behaviour in a team sport is any less competitive than the behaviour of a player in an individual sport?

--- End quote ---
For example, in 'Parasite', the lower-class family use guile to survive. They are competing as a group against families in the same predicament.
Navigation
Message Index
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod