[extropy-chat] EDU: Georgia and Evolution

[JDP]

> --- "Robert J. Bradbury" <bradbury at aeiveos.com> wrote:
> 
>>One really has to wonder about the worlds that people
>>live in in their minds.
>>
>>Georgia Takes on 'Evolution'
>>
> 
> http://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/30/education/30GEOR.html?pagewanted=print
> 
>>I would be less inclined to worry about the people like
>>Kass in the world and more inclined to worry about the
>>people who at a very local level are brainwashing minds.

I have been giving a little help to a 16 y/o highschool student here in 
France for his biology course. I was delighted to discover what they are 
studying. A strong stress on Man, seen as a natural product of 
evolution; emotions as caused by processes in the nervous system; 
genetic engineering shown in a positive light.

Think of this: What kind of education did the political guys now in 
control receive ? A very different one. Probably no connection 
whatsoever between Man and evolution. What will happen when the kids 
raised on this get in control? Transhumanism is likely to seem rather 
obvious for people educated that way in highschool.

3 main topics for this year:

1) Nervous comunication

- Fundamental aspects of nervous communication [with nociception as a 
particular case]
- The action of chemicals on the nervous system [enkephalins/morphine, etc.]

2) From genotype to phenotype

- The relationship betwen DNA and proteins
- Complexity of the relationship between genes, phenotypes and environment

3) The position of Man within evolution

- Looking for the common ancestor
- The emergence of the humand kind

And that's for the whole country. The content is pretty technical for 
that age, and he's not even in a scientific path. Hopeful stuff, I say.

Jacques

PS: Happy birthday to Max! I hope you become more present again in the 
movement you initiated in a near future. You are a great inspiration for 
many.