150 Teaching Minds

150 Teaching Minds In many ways this remark is as dumb as her early remarks. Why do I think this? Because it makes it clear that she hasn’t a clue, and doesn’t really care, about causation. And, this is exactly the problem with Sarah Palin’s remarks to Katie Couric as well: Couric: .. . people have questioned your readiness since that interview. And I’m curious to hear your reaction. Palin: Well, not only am I ready but willing and able to serve as vice president with Senator McCain if Americans so bless us and privilege us with the opportunity of serving them, ready with my executive experience as a city mayor and manager, as a governor, as a commissioner, a regulator of oil and gas, not only with my résumé proving that readiness, but I think the important thing here is that John McCain and I, we share a vision for America that includes energy independence. Why do I think that the problem here is about a misunderstanding of how to determine causation? Miss South Carolina has determined the following things to be true: If students can’t do something, they should be taught to do it. If students can’t do something, it is because they weren’t taught to do it. If students can’t do something that it seems anyone should be able to do, then it should be taught in school. Reading maps is more important than whatever would have to be eliminated from school so that reading maps could take its place. These decisions should be made on the basis of statistical evidence of student’s abilities. But is any of this reasonable? Not only could one argue with each of these propositions, but it is fair to say that Miss South Carolina herself doesn’t know that she holds these positions, that she hasn’t thought about them, and that she might disagree with what she said if some- one pointed this out to her. In other words, she cannot reason well precisely because her be- liefs indicate that she does not think about causation, and one can HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_023896