• merc@sh.itjust.works
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    4 months ago

    Even just the map of the world is outdated pretty much by the time it’s taught.

    In 2023 Micronesia made a fairly minor change from the former name, “Federated States of Micronesia”. But, in 2022 Turkey now wants you to use its metal name: Türkiye.

    Then there’s the new country of South Sudan, Bougainville on its way to splitting from Papua New Guinea. And Kosovo shows another problem – whether its an independent country or not depends on who you ask. That includes regions like South Ossetia, Transnistria, Catalonia and Taiwan.

    Then there are things that students are taught that we’ve known are wrong for over a century, but the fully correct version is too complex for anything below a university course. Like, Newton’s laws are appropriate for high school, but they’re known to be incorrect and are simplifications of Einstein’s refinements. But, they’re close enough for most purposes, and understanding Einstein’s stuff is pretty hard. Same with models of the atom.

    And, history is another subject where the deeper you dig, the more the generalizations you’re taught are shown to be wrong. The names and dates might be the same, but the reason X happened is often a whole lot more complex than the simple reasons given in high school.

    • uis@lemm.ee
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      4 months ago

      Like, Newton’s laws are appropriate for high school, but they’re known to be incorrect and are simplifications of Einstein’s refinements. But, they’re close enough for most purposes, and understanding Einstein’s stuff is pretty hard.

      There is difference between good enough approximation and completely wrong. Some of stuff was last.

      Same with models of the atom.

      Not same. Physics textbooks for I had had planetary model, while chemistry textbooks explained quantuum mechanics model.

    • Bob@feddit.nl
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      4 months ago

      I went to visit my mum and dad last year and I found a globe in my sister’s old bedroom from our childhood. It was interesting seeing the handful of countries on there that have since changed.

      • HackerJoe@sh.itjust.works
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        4 months ago

        My globe has the USSR, a very different looking Europe, Ceylon, Formosa and tons of colonies on it. Thanks for that thing, grandpa.