Education News

Science and the Bible

March 9, 2022 Comments Off

People have used science to try and discredit the bible. According to some the bible has now become an “outdated book” because science can now give us all the knowledge we need. However all the scientific knowledge gathered so far are still more or less theories and are still yet to be proven as fact. So while some areas of science are valid, there are still categories of information that need to be tested or established.

Science is basically the gathering of knowledge to better understand the how and why of how things work as it relates to the world and the universe. Science and technology go hand in hand as they are both dependent on each other.

There are two categories of science:

Exact Sciences – these would include physics, chemistry, biology etc. For exact science the certainty of information is greater and in some cases the function is more analytical, while in others it is mostly descriptive.

Non Exact Sciences – History, Sociology and Humanities. For the non-exact sciences, the degree of definiteness is small, but in some branches exactness is allowed. That is why you can detect biasness in some areas, but not in others.

The methods for study and analysis will differ from discipline to discipline and the methods of investigation and analysis will be valid from one field but not for another. What is important though is that logic be used in the methods of investigation. Logic helps in determining what is true from false.

Therefore, one has to be careful when discussing the Bible and science. Science is a good thing and has made great strides especially in recent times, but in a lot of cases it has been used to discredit God and the Bible.

In the world of science, information can be categorized as theories and facts. Information that is based on theory should have no place in discussions about the bible and science, only those that deal with the facts and laws of science. When using scientific information based on facts, you will find that a lot of misconceptions about the bible will disappear.

Scientific Models

A model is used when studying things that cannot be easily handled. There are two types of models – qualitative or descriptive models and quantitative or mathematical models.

The theory of evolution and scientific creation are both examples of scientific models. However, the evolutionist should not claim his model is truth. He should rather state that his model is a possibility in which life came into being.

Testing of both models should be able to explain:

the maximum number of observed phenomena related to life, and

the maximum number of predictions about phenomena related to life, but not observed so far.

Only the Scientific Creation module has been able to do this.

In the world of Science, model making is a must. However, it must be understood that the model itself is not truth but only a representation of the truth. Therefore, the Christian Apologist must be wary when scientific theories are used in debates or discussions with the bible.

Historical Science

Science has really advanced over the years. It is used in a variety of ways to find answers to questions that long ago seemed impossible to answer. However, when it comes to the bible, we must understand that material science cannot explain or give answers to those questions that come out of the bible. We must look to historical science.

The Origin of the Universe, Life and Archaeology belongs with Historical studies. Demanding scientific proof for historical events in the Bible is beyond reason and shows the lack of knowledge about scientific investigation.

The Christian Apologist must make it known to his opponents who use physical science to discredit the bible that you cannot mix the two for their own biases and purposes.

Wisdom, Knowledge, Understanding: Similarities and Differences

July 4, 2021 Comments Off

To be honest, most people only take very little time to consult God upon perplexing situations. When things stop to make sense for us, we try to use our own knowledge to get the solution. Little do we remember that there is Someone who created our brains, who designed its functions and who has the power to solve every nagging problem around us whether it is finances, relationships, studies or health complications. In any situation that we might find ourselves in, when we respect God and seek out his wisdom and understanding, He is able to give us the ability to understand our world and to help us understand the happenings in our lives.
In times of joy and bliss in your life, just spare a minute to say praises to Him. And when you are perplexed, He will give you comfort and deep assurance which can only come from Him. However, in order to get that wisdom and understanding from God, you must create for Him a space in your life. You must intentionally accept Him in your life. And this calls for priority. Our lives are full of activity: family, work and friends. Where does God come in? Which number would you give God in your order of priority?
That is the mistake we always make. We start with what concerns us before we create a space for the One who is able to guide us through the stormy sea of life. Because we fail to depend on Him, we have limited knowledge which can only help us to make limited choices. In this age of information technology, the more knowledge we get, the less we seem to know! Have you ever asked yourself why this happens? It is because we don’t seek True knowledge from the One who has absolute knowledge. True knowledge is inclusive of a heart, body and mind experience that leads to long term, intimate relationship with the true and living God. Even in one old Caribbean proverb, “One must sleep in the fowl’s coop to know whether the fowl snores.” Let us rekindle the desire to look for God first before anything else in our lives. And we can see God in the people around us: Right now it’s that neighbour in the apartment, or a colleague at workplace. But all in all, God should take the centre stage in our planning and execution. By the way, who or what is your number one priority?
By Tony P. Oreso

Great Leaders Welcome The Truth

February 20, 2021 Comments Off

We often witness individuals who seem to fear learning the truth, either because of some sort of fear, or to protect some prejudice, prejudgment or bias. Especially during political campaigns, many of these individuals seem to treat truth as an enemy, replacing it with whatever spin, half – truth, or misinterpretation of data and facts best serves their predetermined point of view. However, truly great leaders welcome the truth, because whether they like it or not, actual facts are needed to make wise judgments. Wittgenstein wrote, “When one is frightened of the truth, then it is never the whole truth that one has an inkling.” Great leaders realize that the facts and the realities do not change imply because we don’t like them, and an understanding and desire for truths distinguishes great leaders from the wannabes.
1. There is generally some truth in almost any statement. For example, in advertising, while actual lies are generally avoided (if, for no other reason, than fear of legal ramifications), how these facts are interpreted often creates the desired spin. In recent years, for example, in politics, the many fact checking organizations are constantly discovering that statements made in political campaigns, etc., are often, at best, incomplete and misleading. Products are often marketed the same way, when every cable company claims to better, with better services at better prices, and every cellphone company states that it is better than its competition. Wouldn’t we all be better served by the truth?
2. Truth is a factor in a number of ways when it comes to the quality of leadership. It is obvious that truly great leaders are honest, and commit to absolute integrity. However, it is not only about simply being truthful, but rather how a leader gathers information. The information gathered generally determines the facts or basis by which decisions are made, and if those decisions are made on the basis of less than the whole truth, the probability of errors being made, and poor judgments, are compounded. Wisdom comes about as a result of a combination of attitude, knowledge, judgment, and self – confidence, so obviously if the basis of the knowledge is less than completely factual, there is a large possibility of misinterpretation or less than a thoroughly planned and vetted action. True leadership is about taking timely action, and that requires comprehending, in detail the possible ramifications, and examining as many alternatives as possible.
Our greatest leaders always want all the facts. They may not always like them, but realize that there is a need for a reality check.

Sponsoring Effective Change

February 3, 2021 Comments Off

Are business leaders providing the compelling reasons for the change with sufficient emphasis on the risks of not changing?

Building awareness of the need for change requires the following components to be addressed:

What is the nature of the change and how does the change align with the vision for the organisation?

Why is the change being made?

What are the risks of not changing?

An impact analysis of the change

What is in it for me?

Emotionally intelligent leaders have a knack of establishing and maintaining credible, mutually satisfying relationship, characterised by positive expectations. The importance of credible relationships cannot be overstated because staff and stakeholder awareness of change depends on multiple factors such as:

Their view of the current state

How they perceive the problem

The credibility of the leader

Access to misinformation or rumours

Contestability of the reasons for change

There is a difference between awareness and desire. It is often assumed by business leaders that by building awareness of the need for change, in so doing they have also created desire for the change, and as a result, there is surprise that there is resistance to change. Emotionally intelligent leaders have the capacity to understand other people’s feelings and thoughts. They listen well and take account of the perception of others.

Energy goes where attention is given so by giving attention to four factors that contribute to an individual or staff desire to change. The four factors are:

The nature of the change (what the change is and the impact it will have

The economic, political, social, technological and environmental context of the change

The staff personnel situation – mobility, financial security, career aspiration, personal events and past successes within the organisation

What motivates staff – what drives each of us to change is unique and falls along a broad spectrum of motivators. Personal motivation includes what we value and our internal belief of what we can or cannot achieve

When the awareness of the need for change is broadly achieved and the desire to participate and support the change is established, knowledge is the next building block for realising the change. Knowledge includes:

Training and education on the skills and behaviours needed to change

Understanding of new roles and responsibilities associated with the change

Detailed information on how to use new processes, system and technologies

Addressing the blocks to change

Several factors can impact on staff ability to implement change, including:

Psychological blocks

Physical limitations

Intellectual capacity

The time available to develop new skills

Inadequate personal development

The availability of resources to support the development of new abilities – often this element is overlooked. The process of developing new skills and abilities is enhanced by the presence of support structure for staff.

Transformational change occur when there are links between the model of awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement underpinned by personal development and executive coaching to achieve the outcomes of change.

To Conclude:

Awareness represents a person’s understanding of the nature of the change. Why the change is being made and the risk of not changing. Awareness also includes leaders being in tune with their Emotional Intelligence leadership competencies and the ability to enter into positive relationships with other people.

Desire represents the willingness to support and engage in a change. Desire is ultimately about taking responsibility and it is about personal choice to support and participate in the change. Desire is strengthened by Personal review:

What is happening within my personal inner environment to facilitate the change

If I understand the need for change, am I willing to change?

Knowledge represents the information, training and education necessary to successfully achieve the outcomes of the change. Knowledge includes information about behaviours, systems and processes, tool to enable the change, clarity of job roles and responsibilities. Knowledge of personal insights regarding:

Feelings about the change to change

Personal styles, team role and partnership skills?

Personal preferences – How am I linking with others?

Knowledge of personal roles and and responsibilities including personal mindset of how one will show up in the role

Ability represents the realisation or execution of the change. Ability is taking action, turning knowledge into action that secures successful outcomes. Ability is achieved when capabilites are employed to implement the change at the required performance levels. Ability draws on required skills and coaching behaviours to achieve performance outcomes

Reinforcement to sustain the change reviewing what constitutes success including personal and professional appraisal, personal resilience, change mastery and staying power. Reinforcement represents those internal and external factors that sustain a change.

Accountability for continued performance is one of the strongest forms of reinforcement

Change is reinforced when recognition and rewards are meaningful to staff. Many project teams overlook the potential of celebrating small successes. When changes are new and when the difficulties of changing are at the greatest height, opportunities present themselves for celebration. If peer pressure is opposing the change, the resulting negative consequences become a barrier to change.

Scary Surveillance System Project

January 1, 2021 Comments Off

When deciding to purchase a surveillance system for your home or business it is generally a good idea to determine whether you want to design it yourself or delegate the responsibility to someone else. There are pros and cons to going with either route and its best to have an idea of what these are before going forward.
Surveillance System Costs
Cost doesn’t necessarily mean the price of the products alone. In fact cost can include such factors as your time, the product prices, and costs of hiring someone. So first off you need to consider the value of your own time and determine whether it is more valuable to do it yourself or have someone install it for you.
Surveillance System Knowledge – Installation
Be honest with yourself when it comes to this topic. How technically savvy are you and will you be able to install and purchase the equipment when it comes time. If you are a fairly adept and knowledgeable person when it comes to the tech side of things; then you may feel a good level of comfort when installing your own surveillance system. On the other hand if you’re more like the people who can’t adjust the VCR clock and still have issues learning to send an email; then it will probably cause you more of a headache than necessary, and you should look into hiring a professional.
Surveillance System Knowledge – Design
The previous consideration also applies to designing the CCTV system. If you have the ability to pick out the proper surveillance equipment and to determine what CCTV products you need; then by all means go ahead. Otherwise it may save you time and money to have a professional do it for you.
As an additional note however there are some smaller pre-made systems available on the market and at that point the issue would be more on the installation side of things rather than the design.
A Few Pros/Cons Summarized
Professional Installation and Design
Pros
1. Save yourself from wasting time and creating headaches by having a CCTV installer design and implement the system.
2. Have constant support if something should fail.
3. This can be very beneficial for larger systems with lots of components that could take a long time to implement.
Cons
1. Cost may be higher than they would be if you purchased and installed the system yourself.
2. Having to wait on someone else to fix a problem with the system if it occurs.
Self Installation & Design
Pros
1. Cost will be cheaper than they would be if paying someone to do the work for you.
2. You will be able to troubleshoot your surveillance system without having to rely on someone else.
3. Great option for smaller budget systems such as in homes or small businesses.
Cons
1. Having to pick out the right equipment and determine how to install each piece on your own.
2. Less immediate support available for fixing problems.
Ultimately it comes down to a time/cost benefit analysis when you decide whether to design and build a surveillance system on your own or not. You will have to determine which is more valuable to you in the long run. Is it your time? If so then you will probably want to hire a professional to install your system. If it is a cost issue however it will most likely be a more financially wise choice to do a bit of research and build and implement the system yourself.

The ASVAB Test Scores Unearthed

October 23, 2020 Comments Off

Here are the 3 versions of the ASVAB assessment:
• The MET-site ASVAB assessment
• The Student ASVAB assessment
• The Cat-ASVAB test
Break down of scoring methods with the ASVAB exam:
• The MET-site ASVAB assessment – This version of the ASVAB exam is utilized expressly for enlistment purposes. The test sites differ but could be found in most major cities. This test requires a referral from your military recruiter in order to be allowed the lucky chance of taking the examination. The examination is composed of eight sub-tests which will test your abilities in General Science (25 questions), Word Knowledge (35 questions), Arithmetic Reasoning (30 questions), Paragraph and Reading Comprehension (15 questions), Mathematics (25 questions), Auto Shop (25 questions), Electronics (20 questions) and Mechanical Comprehension (25 questions).
• Student ASVAB – This version of ASVAB is implemented as a tool in guiding students when it comes to their chosen career paths. This test is also used to determine eligibility for military service. There are 8 sub-tests on this kind of ASVAB examination. The assessment comprises of 8 sub-tests that test your capability on General Science (25 questions), Arithmetic Reasoning (30 questions), Word Knowledge (35 questions), Paragraph and Reading Comprehension (15 questions), Mathematics (25 questions), Electronics (20 questions), Auto Shop (25 questions), Mechanical Comprehension (25 questions).
• CAT-ASVAB – The ASVAB scores from this test are computed utilizing formulas, which rate the difficulty level in which you answered questions correctly. The raw ASVAB scores do not equal the number of correct answers. The results of this test are good for two years. The test consists of 9 sub-tests that will test your abilities on General Science (16 questions), Arithmetic (16 questions), Word Knowledge (16 questions), Paragraph and Reading Comprehension (11 questions), Mathematics (16 questions), Electronics (16 questions), Auto Information (11 questions), Auto Shop Information (11 questions), Mechanical Comprehension (16 questions).
Here are the allotted time frame and material you would be tested on:
General Science – This section of the test will check your skill for life, space, earth and physical sciences. The period allotted for this category is eleven minutes.
Word Knowledge – This assesses your capability to understand meanings of words. The assigned time for this category is eleven minutes.
Arithmetic Reasoning – Measures aptitude to resolve primary mathematical puzzles. Time frame appropriated for this category is 36 minutes.
Paragraph and Reading Comprehension – Appraises your ability of gathering information. Period given is thirteen minutes.
Mathematics – Checks your knowledge of mathematical applications & concepts. Time appropriatedis 24 minutes.
Auto Shop – Evaluates your know-how on auto maintenance methods, repair and metal and wood shop techniques. Time given is eleven minutes.
Electronics – Checks your aptitude for electrical circuits, devices, systems and currents. Time period given is 9 minutes.
Mechanical Comprehension – Calculates your skill to distinguish properties, structures and devices of mechanical equipment. Time allotted is nineteen minutes.

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