Nothing in education is so astonishing as the amount of ignorance it accumulates in the form of inert facts.
by Henry B. Adams
2006-09-07 21:12:06 · 7 answers · asked by analog 2 in Education & Reference ➔ Quotations
It refers to the fact that academia is all about the theoretical understanding of concepts, and ignores any real-life applications of those ideas.
2006-09-07 21:16:46 · answer #1 · answered by Oguz Z 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not too sure, but I think Adams is trying to say that the most surprising thing about education is the amount of ignorance it gathers because of useless facts.
So...maybe he's tring to point out that education focuses too much on little, useless bits of information? Instead of on what's really important...like the main points. And that creates ignorance.
I mean, you know how people are always saying "what I learned in HS, I've never had to use in real life." ...or whatever. you know?
...just a thought.
2006-09-08 04:19:44 · answer #2 · answered by lily_marie_123 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it means that education is astonishing as a whole but the most astonishing fact about education is the useless, base knowledge u accumalate as a result of education. Finally these facts prove nothing but the fact that u are ignorant about everything and know nothing about anything!!!!!
2006-09-08 04:17:33 · answer #3 · answered by Toshika 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It criticizes the kind of education that leads to the accumulation of simple fact, without promoting their understanding. You can know the formula E=mc2, but your are none the wiser for just knowing it, you actually have to understand what it stands for. Many (especially old) school systems stress the importance of facts without teaching students to actually understand and implement them, which is lunacy, according to "Henry B. Adams", and leads to nothing but ignorance. Learned facts are not knowledge, without understanding.
2006-09-10 08:19:45 · answer #4 · answered by denand2003 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're dealing with 2000yr old facts, the acceleration of gravity at 9.8 M/S^2 would be calculated as one falls off the side of the Earth, as it is flat, that guess would be correct?
But, it may be more difficult to calculate while looking for the edge of the Earth to fall from and measure.
2006-09-08 04:32:34 · answer #5 · answered by Ylyssa 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The author must have been in my algebra class. I learned it, I forgot it and have had a terrific career just the same.
However, in truth, school taught us HOW to learn. And that is essential in life.
2006-09-08 23:10:07 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means 'it takes a lot of facts to know your *** from a hole in the ground'
2006-09-08 04:35:08 · answer #7 · answered by thrag 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋