From The Daily Dialogue
From The Daily Dialogue
Broadcast of 5/11/98
Subject: [DailyDialogue #130] Learning
"... all genuine education is a discourse--a dialogue--carried on within the context of the society around us, as well as with the mighty dead. School helps, but it's just the beginning of the engagement between ideas and reality." -- Jon Spayde, Learning in the Key of Life
I was reading Carl Sagan's last book, Billions & Billions. Having suffered with malignant melanoma several years ago, I took a personal interest in his essay on the depletion of the ozone layer.*
When Eddy or I read things that move us, we like to share the details of our learning. On the way to dinner, I shared my updated knowledge on the ozone layer, together with my outrage that Reagan appointee, Interior Secretary Donald Hodel, had opposed any action to limit CFC production, saying we should just wear sunglasses and hats. One suspects that right wing conservatives are interested in conserving corporate profits regardless of the price.
I felt pleased that she was interested in what I had to say and that she took the time and effort to paraphrase my report and ask a couple of questions about spray cans and the ozone layer.
Experiment: Next time your partner shares some knowledge that you don't have, or have only vaguely, practice paraphrasing and ask a question or two.
Affirmation: We are life-long learners and teachers.
* Ozone in the atmosphere protects the earth's surface from ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Ultraviolet radiation is a major cause of skin cancer, and is also lethal to other life forms, such as phytoplankton in the earth's oceans. Phytoplankton are the basis of the marine food chain.
Ozone depletion is caused by the introduction of man-made chemicals such as CFC's into the atmosphere. Ozone depletion was first identified by Nobel prize winners Rowland and Molina in 1974. Despite irrefutable scientific evidence, corporations and governments have been slow to respond. Despite lack of support from the Reagan administration, the 1987 Montreal Protocol was the first international agreement to limit and eliminate the use of CFC's by the year 2000. To its credit, Dupont has reversed its prior stance and has become a leader in the search for CFC replacements.
Unfortunately, it will take about 100 years for natural atmospheric processes to reduce the levels of atmospheric CFC's even if no more are added.
The Daily Dialogue is published each day of 1998 by e-mail. Copyright 1998, Eddy Brame and Marty Crouch, All rights reserved. To share this with a friend, encourage them to subscribe by visiting our website at http://dailydialogue.com/. You may also unsubscribe at the website.
