Why Our Children Don’t Think There Are Moral Facts

[Valmy]

Well, Stalin wasn't exactly the model parent.  I don't think we have to create plans that work with him.

But he taught his daughter to deconstruct his prejudices!

[CountDeMoney]

Well, Stalin wasn't exactly the model parent.  I don't think we have to create plans that work with him.

A five year old gets a Five Year Plan.

[The Minsky Moment]

I think the real crux of the problem is that--

Justin P. McBrayer is an associate professor of philosophy at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo. He works in ethics and philosophy of religion.

--and the possibility of any concept even remotely related to religion--from which "moral facts" originate--absolutely chafes to no end a board like Languish, which is overpopulated by an inordinate number of obnoxiously snot-nosed and cynical atheists, lawyers and Europeans.

You think wrong.
Because McBrayer's odd screed does not object from the standpoint of the philosophy of religion.  He is quibbling with, and manipulating, definitions.

Tell you what - if you can explain what McBrayer's argument is, I will be open to reconsidering my view.

[Martinus]

Well I don't think you need to care about teachers not teaching that education is good since that would put them out of work.

So they will somehow teach kids how to deconstruct prejudices but only keeping them squarely focused on their parents?  Dude we have a hard enough time teaching them basic math.

I believe there was a period of time when I was a child that I would rigidly follow that teachers told me and call my parents out if they tried to tell me something that ran counter to what my teachers said.

The good folks at Stalin Memorial Academy were so proud. 

garbon would be the new Pavlik Morozov.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlik_Morozov

[Malthus]

garbon would be the new Pavlik Morozov.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlik_Morozov

On a serious note, my mom-in-law actually remembers being given candy (and told there would be more if a kid informed on his or her parents) by teachers in pre-war Ukraine.

[Martinus]

garbon would be the new Pavlik Morozov.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavlik_Morozov

On a serious note, my mom-in-law actually remembers being given candy (and told there would be more if a kid informed on his or her parents) by teachers in pre-war Ukraine.

See, that's what I call good education.

[Valmy]

See, that's what I call good education.

I don't get this.  You seem to like your parents yet seem to hate parents so much.

[Martinus]

See, that's what I call good education.

I don't get this.  You seem to like your parents yet seem to hate parents so much.

I think parents are the main obstacle to society progressing.

[Valmy]

I think parents are the main obstacle to society progressing.

They certainly stopped the Soviets from completely destroying Polish society.  Do you wish you had been made a good Russian by the People's Revolutionary Creche?

[Martinus]

I think parents are the main obstacle to society progressing.

They certainly stopped the Soviets from completely destroying Polish society.  Do you wish you had been made a good Russian by the People's Revolutionary Creche?

Well, Soviets were Russians, so no. That being said, I regret Germans did not properly Germanise us under Bismarck. We would have been progressive atheists, like Czechs, by now rather than backward Catholics.

[Valmy]

Well, Soviets were Russians, so no. That being said, I regret Germans did not properly Germanise us under Bismarck. We would have been progressive atheists, like Czechs, by now rather than backward Catholics.

The Czechs did not become that way because of the Habsburgs efficient Germanisation program.  They seem to have had this sort of thing going on since Jan Hus.  Not sure why.

[Martinus]

Well, Soviets were Russians, so no. That being said, I regret Germans did not properly Germanise us under Bismarck. We would have been progressive atheists, like Czechs, by now rather than backward Catholics.

The Czechs did not become that way because of the Habsburgs efficient Germanisation program.  They seem to have had this sort of thing going on since Jan Hus.  Not sure why.

Still, one can hope. The only good thing about being Polish is that one is not Russian.

[Razgovory]

Actually you would have simply been wiped out by the Russians.

[merithyn]

Well I don't think you need to care about teachers not teaching that education is good since that would put them out of work.

So they will somehow teach kids how to deconstruct prejudices but only keeping them squarely focused on their parents?  Dude we have a hard enough time teaching them basic math.

I believe there was a period of time when I was a child that I would rigidly follow that teachers told me and call my parents out if they tried to tell me something that ran counter to what my teachers said.

Every. One. Of. My. Children. 

[merithyn]

Seriously though - I think the task of a good teacher is in part to teach critical thinking skills that can be applied to just about any situation going forward. Then it is up to the kid whether he or she finds flaws in parental or societal attitudes, or not.

Agreed.