A freshman, on the early history of the universe:
"It's hard to understand this stuff when you don't believe in it."
It's not that the student doesn't believe the science . . . it's that this student has been led to actively disbelieve any science related to this particular topic. A once-open mind has been reduced to parroting lies told to them by someone they trust.
So now, instead of focusing on the really cool stuff, or moving on to another topic, class time has to be spent dislodging the disbelief.
This student's insightful comment again illuminates the need to differentiate between fact, belief, theory, hypothesis, and law.
posted by Cheryl Shepherd-Adams
