🚀 go-pugleaf

>   As a student, I've got to say that most of the science education
>I recieved, especially at the lower levels, was totally facts and
>regurgitation, and very little critical thought.  Most of even the


Well, there are a hell of a lot of facts to learn. Quite a few of these
are needed to give beginning students a foundation to build from. You
can't start teaching biology with a cladistics vs. punctuated equilibrium
debate, or astronomy with a hot vs. cold dark matter debate [oops, now
CDM is out; have to find another example]. Kids have to go through
the bad old ickiness of memorizing the boring facts of spelling,
grammar and pronounciation before they can write sonnets or blank verse.
Doctors and engineers damn well better have the dull facts of their
professions cold before they're turned loose with scalpels and CAD
systems.

Admittedly, learning ONLY facts and never method leaves one fit only
to be a tradesman, but first things first: learning method and never
facts leaves one fit only to be a philosopher.