GIGO

General Knowledge

Much has been made recently of the poor showing Canterbury University students made in a general knowledge quiz. A surprisingly small proportion were able to indicate from which direction the sun rises, let alone pick out the European inventor of the printing press from four names.

Is this a problem? No, according to those who see education as about learning how to learn rather than what to learn. Certainly the ability to think about a problem and undertake appropriate research to discover the relevant information is an important part of scholarship, and one which should begin well before tertiary level. A request from a Stage III Victoria University student to "tell me all about teleworking" indicates that there is a long way to go in ensuring this is appreciated.

However, does this mean that a knowledge of facts is passé? It shouldn't. Sure we have a host of information repositories available to us, from books to the Internet, which means that we don't have to know everything about everything. But if we are to attempt to take part in an informed discussion, then surely we need to know something of what we speak. While a little knowledge may be a dangerous thing, one can hope that with that comes the realization of just how much there is to know and a humility in the face of that realization. That should protect us from intellectual hubris and encourage us to be cautious of making definitive pronouncements. Well-practised science provides that protection and encouragement, but so should any area of knowledge.

An awareness of the Elizabeth and Essex scandal of the 16th century shows up the insipidness of current royal tabloid stories. Knowledge of the impact of Gutenberg's printing press developments gives us an insight into why photocopiers played a major role in the fall of the Soviet Union. Knowing where the Sun and the planets rise and set may make us less likely to mistake celestial objects for alien spacecraft.

What's more, knowledge is fun -- it makes for more interesting, often delightful, interaction. There is joy in a newly discovered fact or idea, particularly when it fits in with other things you know to gain a greater understanding of the world around you and -- if you're lucky -- yourself.

Vicki Hyde is the editor of New Zealand Science Monthly.