John Ewing Mathematician and President of Math for America 07/31/2017 02:35 pm ET In 1939, on the eve of a war that would kill over 60 million people, in the aftermath of a worldwide depression, and during a time when humanity was understandably focused on practical matters, Harper’s Magazine published a slim essay by Abraham Flexner entitledThe Usefulness of Useless Knowledge. Flexner outlined his philosophy for the Institute for Advanced Study and, as it turned out, for much of American scientific research during mid-20th century. Flexner’s philosophy was based on two ideas. First, that even in times of tumult “poets and artists and scientists have ignored the factors that would, if attended to, paralyze them.” Even though intellectual pursuits might seem frivolous, they are essential to the human spirit. His second idea challenged conventional wisdom: “The pursuit of these useless satisfactions proves unexpectedly the sources from which undreamed-of utility is derived.” Even though these intellectual pursuits might seem useless, they often turn out to be surprisingly useful—perhaps the best path to useful knowledge. He provided evidence of this last point by describing examples of research that led to society-changing applications, yet was inspired by curiosity alone. Flexner believed that “the unobstructed pursuit of useless knowledge will prove to have consequences in the future as in the past.” He was right. While Flexner’s and Dijkgraaf’s essays are about research, they apply equally well to education. Like research, Americans today seem to favor practical education. They see education as career training. They view the process of education as labor rather than craftsmanship. They believe teaching is something done to children rather than with them. And they believe success can be measured by tests of facts and skills, emphasizing the immediately useful. Flexner would surely object to all these beliefs. On the simplest level, Flexner’s essay is a plea for the liberal arts. In our career-minded society, intellectual pursuits like poetry, philosophy, and literature are dismissed as frivolous. Last year, Kentucky’s governor, Matthew Bevin, grumbled to reporters: “All the people in the world that want to study French literature can do so, they are just not going to be subsidized by the taxpayer.” Bevin is not alone. Governor Rick Scott of Floridacomplained earlier that his state didn’t need more anthropologists: “If I’m going to take money from a citizen to put into education then I’m going to take that money to create jobs.“ Similar comments were made by the governors of North Carolina and Wisconsin. Even the Obama administration proposed a system to rank universities based on the jobs of graduates. Research and education share something deeper still. Flexner and Dijkgraaf point out that the process of discovery cannot be tamed. It’s unruly, often serendipitous, and frequently surprising. The quest for knowledge is best driven by intense curiosity rather than utility. It requires not only structure but also passion. And as Flexner pointed out, what seems useless today frequently turns out to be exactly what one needs tomorrow. Education is the same. Of course education provides career skills, but like research, it is more than useful facts and skills. Students need to explore because they are themselves curious. They need to develop a thirst for learning. They need to be excited and passionate about knowledge. They need to learn unencumbered by the demands of utility. Many modern reformers will object. We must be practical, they will say. We must prepare our children for careers. We must teach useful things. Here is where Flexner’s essay is the most relevant, for when society is in tumult—when careers repeatedly change, new professions continually arise, and jobs are most unpredictable—creating curious, inspired, lifelong learners turns out to be the most useful education of all. A romantic poem, a mathematical puzzle, a story from ancient history… Plato, Shakespeare, Rousseau … the big bang, Neanderthals, and Bach… all are “useless.” Yet they often turn out to be exactly what one needs tomorrow. Alas, in writing about research, Dijkgraaf laments: “In today’s metric-and goal-fixated culture, how can we meaningfully convey the ‘usefulness of useless knowledge?’” We face an even greater challenge to convey this for education. Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-usefulness-of-useless-education_us_597f7465e4b0d187a5968f39 Fairfax County, VA CHRIS GRISAFE Fairfax County School Board At-Large Special Election Tuesday, August 29th! The Fairfax County School Board must stay focused on its primary mission – to provide a high-quality education that prepares all students for higher education, the modern workforce, and becoming successful, responsible citizens!
Chris Grisafe will focus on protecting excellence in our classrooms! Strong academic rigor for our students ✓ Fair class sizes ✓ Respecting parents ✓ Supporting teachers ✓ Honoring accountability of our taxpayer dollars ✓ PLEASE VOTE FOR CHRIS GRISAFE ✓ HOW DO I VOTE? You can vote one of the following three ways: ❶ ABSENTEE IN-PERSON! You can vote TODAY for Chris Grisafe if you can’t get to the polls on Election Day. Bring your I.D. and come vote “Absentee In-Person” at: Fairfax County Government Center 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Suite 323, Fairfax, VA 22035 Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri: 8 am - 4:30 pm; Thu, 8 am - 7 pm Saturday, August 26th: 9 am - 5 pm (last day to vote Absentee In-Person) ❷ ABSENTEE BY MAIL! Request an Absentee ballot by Tuesday, August 22nd at 5 pm to vote by mail. Go to https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation Complete your personal information, click ‘I want to apply for absentee voting’ and follow instructions to receive an Absentee ballot in the mail. Once your ballot arrives, please complete and return via mail to the Elections Office at P.O. Box 10161, Fairfax, VA 22038 (allowing up to 9 days) OR drop your ballot off in person at the Fairfax County Government Center. ❸ ON ELECTION DAY! Election Day is Tuesday, August 29th Vote for Chris Grisafe at your regular polling location from 6 am - 7 pm. Find your polling location at: https://vote.elections.virginia.gov/VoterInformation/PollingPlaceLookup Please ask your friends, colleagues, church members and family to vote for Chris Grisafe! Website: www.ChrisGrisafeForSchoolBoard.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/votechrisgrisafe |
