Turning science class into social (justice warrior) studies
Isaac Newton Latest Historical Figure Swept Up in ‘Decolonisation’ Drive
Sir Isaac Newton has been labelled as a potential beneficiary of “colonial-era activity†in draft plans to “decolonise†the engineering curriculum at Sheffield University.
Students learning about the mathematician and scientist’s three laws of motion, the core of modern physics, could see changes in their teaching to explain the “global origins and historical context†of his theories, documents suggest.
The plans form part of the engineering faculty’s efforts to “challenge long-standing conscious and unconscious biases†among students to tackle “Eurocentric†and “white saviour†approaches to science and maths, and promote “inclusive designâ€.
A leaked copy of the “draft inclusive curriculum development†plan at the Russell Group institution says that “much important engineering content and curriculum resources is based on maths developed in the 18/19th century.â€
It claims pioneering scientists including Paul Dirac, Pierre-Simon Laplace, Newton, and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz “could be considered as benefiting from colonial era activityâ€.
You mostly learn a little bit about these guys, primarily Newton, in History class and science classes, right? Places you get facts. Now we have to have squishy context idiocy?
Newton, who lived until 1727, laid the foundations of modern science with his theory of gravity, in the seminal Principia, and theories on light, time, colour and calculus. (snip)
The documents do not explain how Newton is thought to have benefited from colonialism. However, it is known that he held shares in the South Sea Company that traded in slaves.
Which has what, precisely, to do with his scientific achievements? It’s turning science into social studies.
George Floyd mural covered up in Phoenix; drew complaint it ‘celebrates White violence’
Artist Jeremie “Bacpac” Franko painted a George Floyd mural in Phoenix last year to “start a conversation” about the Minneapolis man’s death in police custody.
But after complaints from residents, and an act of vandalism earlier this year, Franko painted over her mural Friday, according to a report.
The mural showed Floyd’s face on a $20 bill and included the title, “#the_price_of_black_lives.” (snip)
But some residents in the Coronado district of Phoenix were not happy with the mural, the Arizona Republic reported.
“This is a mural designed by White people that celebrates White violence,” Coronado resident Kelvin West told the newspaper. “It creates a space for Black people to continue to be traumatized.
Oh, and there’s this
Oh, for f***s sake. When everything's stupid can anything be stupid? https://t.co/NAJBODqRTV
— William Teach2 ??????? #refuseresist (@WTeach2) April 30, 2021
This liberal largely agrees with James Carville that “wokeness” has become burdensome. We need to recognize the times in which people lived rather than apply today’s liberal ideology. That said, we need to be honest and recognize that slavery, racism, oppression, privilege were and are real.
Of course Newton benefitted from the times he lived. Of course his ideas were affected by the times. Duh. So what? Although Einstein expanded (and in some cases supplanted) Newton’s ideas, Newton has stood the test of time, as will Einstein. Are we really going to dismiss Isaac Newton because he may have invested in the slave trade? What if Einstein invested in a tobacco company?
But Columbus didn’t discover America and although Robert E. Lee may have been an effective general he still tried to destroy the United States. Germany is right to distance themselves from Hitler. Eventually a “new” North Korea will paint over Kim murals and pull down Kim statues.
Outrage AND forgiveness are powerful human forces. Studying the life and times of historical figures is valuable but wasting outrage on their lives is not. Teach wasting his outrage on this useless outrage is even less valuable!!
More important, those who recently coined the word “maths” instead of math, mathematics or arithmetic need to explain themselves. (Turns out it’s American to use math instead of maths. America wins again!)
The esteemed Mr Dowd wrote:
Christopher Columbus’ ships may not have carried the first Europeans to the New World, but it was his voyages which led to popular knowledge of the New World’s existence. Yet, the Vikings got here first, but their knowledge was insular and forgotten.
Robert E Lee didn’t try “to destroy the United States.” He was perfectly willing to allow those states which wished to remain a part of the United States to do so. Rather, as a Virginian, he was fighting for his country, the Confederate States of America, and their right to secede. His only sin was that he lost.
How amazing it is that the United States has supported the secession and independence of so many other nations — the Republic of Texas, Cuba, Eritrea, Bangledesh, Israel, Ukraine, Byelorussia, Georgia, Khazakstan and the other former Soviet republics, West Virginia from the CSA, and dozens of others — but would not accept the secession and independence of the states which chose to form the CSA.
Yes, I’m glad that we are one country now, but I hold that the CSA had the right to secede, to declare its independence, just as the United States had the right to secede and declare its independence from Great Britain.
Robert E. Lee was a traitor who went to war against the United States of America, killing hundreds of thousands of brave Americans is the process. And what was Lee fighting for? The right of his newly declared “nation” to own and trade and abuse other humans. Lee betrayed the United States of America. Lee’s ill-advised and poorly executed forays into the United States argue that Lee wanted the United States to abide by the Southerners’ worldview regarding enslavement. Southerners wished to expand slavery.
Not unlike the conservatives that lost their shit when trump lost, the Southern oligarchs rebelled against the election of Abraham Lincoln, who had promised to end enslavement.
Lee’s only sin was not that he lost. What a silly thing for anyone to type. White Southerners needed a hero and Lee was their man.
Thanks, dipshit, for proving how stupid you are for wasting your valuble time here then complaining/blaming someone else for it.
Doesn’t get any more woke than that.
#ThankYouGeorgeFloydForDying
Bwaha! Lolgfy
Teach is a dipshit.
says Dipshit why wasting “his” time…
#ThankYouAshliBabbittForDying
Rimjob just being Rimjob.
Losing it again.
Thanks again dipshit for proving how stupid and irrelevant you are and always will be.
#ThankYouGeorgeFloydForDying
Bwaha! Lolgfy
Teach is the dipshit.
The truth is that Isaac Newton did not write any of the things for which he has been given credit due to his whiteness. Rather, it was his slave, Umgwana kik-Bouti, who came up with the concepts credited to Sir Isaac, but because Mr kik-Bouti was a noble African enslaved by the white devils, his work was appropriated, and, when Sir Isaac feared that the real author of Principia Mathematica was about to be exposed, he had Mr kik-Bouti killed and his body processed into soap. It is from the fate of Mr kik-Bouti that the term ‘whitewashed’ comes.