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| A '''lie-to-children''' is an expression that describes a form of simplification of material. The universe is |
A '''lie-to-children''' is an expression that describes a form of simplification of material. The universe, so far as we can observe, is extremely complicated. The first time one explains something to a person (especially a child), one might give an explanation that is simple, concise, or simply "wrong" — but in a way that attempts to make the truth more understandable. (Sometimes, an explanation can accompany it, such as "This isn't technically true, but it's easier to understand.") | ||
| Later on, one can admit that the first explanation was a lie, and replace it with the truth, or a more sophisticated lie-to-children, which is nearer to the truth. | |||
| Later on you end up having to admit you were wrong, and you can replace your explanation by a more sophisticated lie-to-children, which also happens to be nearer to the truth. You can continue this process all through a persons education. | Later on you end up having to admit you were wrong, and you can replace your explanation by a more sophisticated lie-to-children, which also happens to be nearer to the truth. You can continue this process all through a persons education. | ||
| ==A lie-to-children in physics== | |||
| example for physics (taken in part from h2g2) | |||
| ⚫ | (From ) | ||
| # Weight is constant. | # Weight is constant. | ||
| #*Children in primary school learn that the weight of something doesn't change if you just change its shape. | #*Children in primary school learn that the weight of something doesn't change if you just change its shape. | ||
| # Weight is not a constant. What's actually constant is mass. | # Weight is not a constant. What's actually constant is mass. | ||
| #*In secondary school, children often learn that on the moon or on mars, an objects' weight will be different, because gravity in those places is different. | #*In secondary school, children often learn that on the moon or on mars, an objects' weight will be different, because gravity in those places is different, but the mass will stay the same. | ||
| # Mass is not a constant, but depends on the velocity of the object, relative to the ], which is a constant. | |||
| #:But the mass will stay the same. | |||
| # |
#*Later on, we find out that ] says that the mass of an object can vary depending on velocity. | ||
| ⚫ | # The speed of light is not, in fact, a constant, but may have been significantly larger than its current value during the early life of the universe. | ||
| #*In university classes, we find out that relativity teaches us that the mass of an object can vary depending on velocity . | |||
| #*This is a theory that may or may not be true. But even if it is "true", it may still be a lie-to-children, for which we don't know the truth. | |||
| ⚫ | # |
||
| #* Generally only postgraduates learn up to this level. | |||
| It's important to use lies to children to teach people things, since it's very hard for a young child to grasp details about the speed of light, and even older people have some trouble with the details from time to time. | |||
| ⚫ | When discussing things or adding articles to the wikipedia, it's very important to remember that much of what you have been taught is probably actually a lie-to-children, and that reality might be far different from what you thought it was. | ||
| == Sources == | |||
| The term first appeared in one of the rare serious books co-authored by ] : ] | |||
| ⚫ | <!-- When discussing things or adding articles to the wikipedia, it's very important to remember that much of what you have been taught is probably actually a lie-to-children, and that reality might be far different from what you thought it was. -- This might be usefully added to a Misplaced Pages: page, but it's inappropriate for an article...--> | ||
| ⚫ | * |
||
| for examples see: | |||
| The term appeared either in one of the few serious books co-authored by ], '']'', or in '']'' or '']'', both by the other two co-authors of ''The Science of Discworld'', Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen. | |||
| ⚫ | http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A685055 |
||
| == External links== | |||
| ⚫ | * | ||
| Note that these quote a different source as first inventing the term: | |||
| (from footnote 3: The phrase 'lie to children' was coined by Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen, authors of The Collapse of Chaos and Figments of Reality.) | |||
| * http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A685055#back3 | |||
| {{msg:stub}} | {{msg:stub}} | ||
Revision as of 18:43, 9 April 2004
A lie-to-children is an expression that describes a form of simplification of material. The universe, so far as we can observe, is extremely complicated. The first time one explains something to a person (especially a child), one might give an explanation that is simple, concise, or simply "wrong" — but in a way that attempts to make the truth more understandable. (Sometimes, an explanation can accompany it, such as "This isn't technically true, but it's easier to understand.")
Later on, one can admit that the first explanation was a lie, and replace it with the truth, or a more sophisticated lie-to-children, which is nearer to the truth.
Later on you end up having to admit you were wrong, and you can replace your explanation by a more sophisticated lie-to-children, which also happens to be nearer to the truth. You can continue this process all through a persons education.
A lie-to-children in physics
- Weight is constant.
- Children in primary school learn that the weight of something doesn't change if you just change its shape.
- Weight is not a constant. What's actually constant is mass.
- In secondary school, children often learn that on the moon or on mars, an objects' weight will be different, because gravity in those places is different, but the mass will stay the same.
- Mass is not a constant, but depends on the velocity of the object, relative to the speed of light, which is a constant.
- Later on, we find out that relativity says that the mass of an object can vary depending on velocity.
- The speed of light is not, in fact, a constant, but may have been significantly larger than its current value during the early life of the universe.
- This is a theory that may or may not be true. But even if it is "true", it may still be a lie-to-children, for which we don't know the truth.
The term appeared either in one of the few serious books co-authored by Terry Pratchett, The Science of Discworld, or in Collapse in Chaos or Figments of Reality, both by the other two co-authors of The Science of Discworld, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen.
External links
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