National STEM Video Game Challenge
Photics
Member Posts: 4,172
It seem that the president is looking to encourage the use of video games to help teach "Science, Technology, Engineering and Math." ...and there's a contest related it...
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/president-obama-unveils-educational-gaming-challenge/
http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/Initiatives-31.html
http://www.industrygamers.com/news/president-obama-unveils-educational-gaming-challenge/
http://www.joanganzcooneycenter.org/Initiatives-31.html
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Although, if I win, I could finally afford to upgrade GameSalad to Pro. That would count as a game improvement.
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"Prove all things, hold fast to that which is true."
1 Thessalonians 5:21
That's in the bible. It sounds like a quote from a scientist. Are there some issues with Genesis? That depends on whom you ask. Some believe it literally and they use scientific reasons to defend why.
Example: http://www.answersingenesis.org/
Then, there are those that review the information and post up counter reasons.
Example: http://www.talkorigins.org/indexcc/list.html
I've read both sides of the issue. My opinion, evidence for evolution seems lacking. To teach it like fact is contrary to the idea of science.
I watched the movie "Expelled" with Ben Stein. I really liked it. I am familiar with higher education and there does seem to be this clique... if you're not a cheerleader for Obama, you don't belong. If you find issues with evolution, you don't belong. That's why I liked the movie. The main issue is that we should be able to discuss these things openly, without fear of reprisal.
That's what's great about American ideals... freedom of religion and "We the people". We're supposed to ask tough questions, but respect people's beliefs. I find it troubling, that the goal behind your educational game is more anti-religion than scientific.
Sure there might be some gaps still in evolution theory but it is the only acceptable theory for how we came to be here. Religion provides not one single piece of evidence, at all. It has a book of short stories. I could write a book of stories to explain creation, it wouldn't be any more or any less credible than the bible. The tooth fairy has similar levels of evidence, maybe slightly more as I did actually get some money for my tooth when it fell out.
I do find americas high levels of christianity quite scary for a nation of educated and free thinking people. I recommend reading Richard Dawkins book 'The god delusion', a difficult but enlightening read. Sadly though religious people probably never would read it.
2) Creationism is not at all scientific because it cannot be proven true or false - it can only be believed. One of the things that makes evolution such a powerful scientific theory (remember "theory" does NOT imply guess - i.e. no one questions the "cell theory" or "pythagorean's theorem") is that it would be so easy to prove false. All a creationist would need to do is find ONE fossil that was in the wrong rock strata - guess what, it's never been found. On the other side of things there are countless controlled experiments that provide strong evidence that supports evolution and makes the creationist argument seem extremely far-fetched. I would recommend "The Greatest Show on Earth" by Dawkins as it stays away from the religion bashing (in fact it mentions religious denominations that officially support evolution) and lays out very interesting and compelling evidence that can really only be interpreted one way.
3) Another reason that I am considering an evolution game is that in the guidelines for submitting a game that I found on the internet mentioned evolution as a possible topic.
Personally, I don't think it's science versus religion, which is the main problem I see here. Teach science... what is known and what is unknown.... don't use it as a tool to combat religion. There are people who don't even believe religion is at odds with evolution...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_and_evolution
An interest in science could come from an interest in learning more about God. That's where intelligent design comes from - a belief that the world looks designed because it is.
That's where I think the core problem of evolution comes from. Like it's a sword against religion "See... that's why there's no God, the bible's a fraud." ...rather than focus on how these new discoveries can lead to better life. Some people that believe life would be better without religion. I've thought about the matter very seriously. I don't think so.
While Richard Dawkins may think the universe would be simpler without God, I think it would be a dark, loveless place. I only have to look at my history books to see that. I think America's success comes from its high ideals.
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights." There is a high percentage of Christan Americans. In an even more macro view - most Americans believe in God. However, I find that most Americans are moderate... tolerant of others beliefs. Outsiders might see some polarizing images on television, but that doesn't reflect the whole nation.
I am somewhat interested in what Richard Dawkins has to say, but it just seems hateful to me... like some vendetta against God. (His interview in Expelled was interesting.) Perhaps that feeling originates from the other side, religious zealots. I used to ride the Staten Island Ferry. These preachers would hold commuters hostage, with screams about the fires of hell. That's not the right way to do it. I can see why a lot of people are turned off to religion. That's one extreme.
Yet, blind faith in evolution is the other extreme to me. When I look explanations of evolution, it feels like something's missing. In a world where it's survival of the fittest, why do humans dominate the planet? We wonder about the meaning of life - does anything else on this planet do the same?
I used to watch a show... Robot Wars. Homemade robots would battle it out. Which ones would win? Was it the fancy looking robots, like the ones that shot fire? No, it was usually the simple triangle shaped robots. When I look at life, if it's just about survival of the fittest, why aren't we a world of bugs? They reproduce by the thousands. Wouldn't the odds of mutations be better with them?
...and where are the positive mutations? Why don't we see them today? If this happened over billions of years, why don't we see the equivalent of half an eyeball in species that are alive today? Why do so many lifeforms look so pretty, rather than half-finished mutating balls of goo?
Communication is important. Look at how the Internet has changed our lives... why don't species communicate like that? If an eyeball is so simple to make, if it's only a matter of time, wouldn't radio waves be just as easy?
Can scientists create living matter from basic non-living elements? Not that I'm aware of. They can barely make a decent cell phone camera. With the knowledge and focus of six billion people, why can't we make body parts from scratch? We can't even mass produce synthetic blood. If something can occur randomly, why is it so hard for intelligent people to make it themselves?
Technology is getting better. We should be able to do amazing medical feats in the next 20-50 years. That's why I like Obama's initiative - and I'm certainly no Obama cheerleader. Technology is important. I can see the frustration that some people get - thinking religion stands in the way of innovation. Yet, here's a wikipedia page that shows otherwise...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_thinkers_in_science
It's fine to have one.
It's fine to be proud of it.
But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around.
And PLEASE don't try to shove it down children's throats.
If I only taught my students the things that scientists are 100% sure of my school year would be about 2 days long. Now that would be one heck of a summer vacation!
Instead I show them the actual evidence (nothing to debate there - a dinosaur fossil is a dinosaur fossil) and share with them what the vast majority of scientists agree is the best explanation. Do I tell them that there are people who disagree with the explanation - yes. Do I go into the opposing sides views - no. I don't think the oppositions views hold any water and court cases in this country have determined that "intelligent design" ( a re-branding of the term "creationism" if you ask me) is not science and should not be taught in schools as science.
Not sure if some of your previous post was directed at me or at what you see as a general evolutionary threat, but I AM one of those people who do not see a problem with being religious and being scientific. I think science answers the question "how did we get here" and religion helps answer the question "why are we here" and "what makes life meaningful."
Personally, I do have questions with the bible. It's been translated and edited throughout history. How do I know which version of the bible is the correct one? There's lots of debate about what a "day" means. Can it really be taken literally with so much debate?
Yet, I also don't believe in Santa Clause. I didn't, not even when I was a kid. I have vague memories from pre-school. I think I might have told the other kids that there's no Santa Clause. But today, I don't go to every little kid I see and break their hearts. It's like asking for trouble.
I don't know what you're going to do with your app, but I was thinking in more general themes... like how to make math more exciting... not how Math will crush your belief in the Easter Bunny.