Culture, Society and Education

We discussed the relation between language and culture, now lets discuss the connection between sciences and culture. Here, John Lienhard, discusses the construction of an algebraic equation and how it shows the cultural situaton in that era and society.

A $7500 estate is to be divided among a widow, two sons, and three daughters. Each son is to receive twice as much as each daughter, and the widow $500 more than all the children. Determine the share of each.

That’s meant for practice in setting up first degree algebraic equations; but it tells as much about family structure, a century and a half ago, as it does about algebra. This book is signed three times by 20-year-old Sidney Rix. One’s a flashy cursive signature. One’s penciled, very ornately, the way a sign painter would lay out text. And he’s penciled his name in a fancy Gothic font.

There were such commentaries during the Cold war as well. Where such ideas were used to propagate the idea of capitalism or communism in education. Education has always been used as a weapon and a tool by those in power.