Responsibility to Society: The law also holds that education systems have a responsibility to society at large. In democratic nations, education is seen as a public good that must contribute to the development of a rational, well-informed populace capable of self-governance. Schools, as state institutions, are legally obligated to produce citizens who can participate in public discourse based on evidence and reason, not superstition or unfounded beliefs.

MOE - Buck up or get sued - Right to Education: Many constitutions and legal systems enshrine the right to education, which is understood as more than just the acquisition of knowledge—it includes the development of values and dispositions necessary for living a meaningful life. For example, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Article 26) emphasizes that education should promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations and groups, which requires a commitment to truth-seeking over dogma.

Critical thinking is not just an academic exercise—it’s a survival skill in an ever increasingly complex world.

Many more online scamming syndicates - Preventing Misinformation: The rise of misinformation and “fake news” has made it more urgent than ever for schools to instill a mindset that values evidence over belief. Legally, schools have a responsibility to prepare students to navigate an information-saturated world where distinguishing fact from fiction is critical. Failing to instill these values leaves students vulnerable to manipulation and incapable of making informed decisions.

MOE - Buck up or get sued: As economies become more knowledge-based, the ability to critically assess information, adapt to new evidence, and continuously seek improvement is essential for employability. Legal frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Article 29) emphasize that education must prepare children to be productive members of society, which requires the cultivation of critical thinking.

Critical Thinking as an Indispensible Fundamental Skill : Schools have a legal obligation to teach critical thinking, which is based on evaluating evidence rather than accepting beliefs at face value. In modern societies, critical thinking is a foundational skill for participation in every aspect of life, from the workforce to citizenship

Without these foundational values, schools would fail in their duty to equip students with the tools necessary for their own success and the collective good.

Civic Responsibility: Societies thrive when citizens are capable of rational decision-making, informed by evidence and critical thinking rather than dogma or blind belief. By law, schools are entrusted with preparing students for life in a democratic society, which requires instilling the ability to assess facts, question assumptions, and think independently.

Schools have a legal obligation to instill the right mindset and values in young children because the education system plays a crucial role in shaping not only the future of individuals but also the future of society. Instilling values such as evidence over belief, progress over finality, and truth-seeking over dogma is essential to fostering a generation that is capable of critical thinking, innovation, and active participation in a democratic and scientifically informed society.

Science as a Path to Truth, Not Certainty : True science avoids claiming absolute certainty because it recognizes the limits of human knowledge and the provisional nature of understanding. Scientific theories are always open to revision in light of new evidence, ensuring that science remains a dynamic and evolving discipline. However, science is highly effective at identifying what is false, using rigorous methods of testing and falsification to rule out incorrect ideas with near-complete certainty. This balance of humility in the face of complexity, combined with the ability to decisively refute falsehoods, is what makes science a powerful and reliable tool for understanding the world. It values evidence over belief, progress over finality, and truth-seeking over dogma.

The meaning of schooling in the new millennium - Science as a Path to Truth, Not Certainty : True science avoids claiming absolute certainty because it recognizes the limits of human knowledge and the provisional nature of understanding. Scientific theories are always open to revision in light of new evidence, ensuring that science remains a dynamic and evolving discipline. However, science is highly effective at identifying what is false, using rigorous methods of testing and falsification to rule out incorrect ideas with near-complete certainty.

This balance of humility in the face of complexity, combined with the ability to decisively refute falsehoods, is what makes science a powerful and reliable tool for understanding the world. It values evidence over belief, progress over finality, and truth-seeking over dogma.

Embracing Uncertainty: Far from being a weakness, science’s embrace of uncertainty is a strength. It allows scientists to explore possibilities, revise hypotheses, and continually improve the precision of their understanding without the constraints of dogmatic belief.

Educating the innocent children to adopt scientific mindedness, ethic and ideology: By maintaining an openness to new evidence and avoiding claims of absolute certainty, science preserves its dynamism and adaptability, allowing for ongoing progress.

Historical Lessons: History is filled with examples where absolute certainty led to scientific stagnation. For instance, the rigid adherence to Aristotelian physics in medieval Europe delayed the acceptance of more accurate models like those proposed by Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton.

Protecting the children from danger - The Danger of Claiming Absolute Certainty: Claiming absolute certainty in science can be dangerous, as it leads to dogma, rigidity, and the rejection of new evidence.

High Confidence in Disproven Claims: On the other hand, science can state with almost complete certainty when something is false. For example, we can say with near absolute certainty that perpetual motion machines do not work, because they violate the well-established laws of thermodynamics.

Educating the innocent children to adopt scientific mindedness, ethic and ideology: Many scientific findings are expressed in terms of probability, with conclusions supported by data and statistical significance. While scientists might never say something is “100% true,” they can assert that it is extremely likely or that the evidence supports it beyond reasonable doubt. For instance, the theory of evolution by natural selection, while always open to further refinement, is supported by an overwhelming body of evidence, making it as close to certain as possible.

By identifying false claims, science narrows the range of possible explanations, making it highly effective at eliminating incorrect ideas even as it refrains from claiming ultimate truths.

Track record: Over time, scientific testing has debunked many false claims, such as the idea that the Earth is flat, that disease is caused by “miasma” (bad air), or that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones (as disproven by Galileo). Science can assert with near certainty that these claims are false because they have been rigorously tested and consistently disproven.

While science avoids claiming absolute certainty about what is true, it excels at identifying what is false.

No, true science avoids claiming absolute certainty because the nature of scientific inquiry is inherently tentative and open to revision. Science operates through observation, experimentation, and evidence, all of which can improve over time, leading to refinements in understanding or entirely new perspectives. However, science can often tell with almost absolute certainty what is false by disproving hypotheses through empirical testing and evidence.

Posted by Sslee > 1 minute ago | Report Abuse

Science at best can give you a clear cut right and wrong answer.
But in real life things are not as simple as right or wrong so be pragmatism in seeking truth from facts.

It's high time for the young generation to take criticism as a necessary path to progress: Science is about challenging ideas, not attacking individuals. By subjecting hypotheses to scrutiny and encouraging open debate, science refines and improves knowledge. This is not badmouthing; it is a constructive process that values truth over ego, collaboration over conflict. Badmouthing stifles progress by focusing on individuals rather than ideas, while science advances through critical thinking, open-mindedness, and continuous questioning. The ultimate goal of science is to uncover truth, and that can only be achieved by subjecting all ideas—no matter how established or cherished—to rigorous scrutiny.

The resistance to dogma in science encourages ongoing dialogue, which drives progress, rather than personal attacks that aim to shut down debate.

Rejection of Certainty: True science avoids claiming absolute certainty. It is always open to being challenged and revised in light of new evidence. This constant questioning is not about badmouthing but about humility in the face of complexity.

Science stands in contrast to dogma, which resists change and criticism. In dogmatic systems, questioning established ideas is seen as a threat, and dissent is often met with personal attacks or dismissal. Science, however, encourages questioning as a means of achieving a deeper understanding.

Science thrives on its iterative nature—each new piece of evidence, whether it supports or contradicts current ideas, is valuable. The process of refining and updating theories based on new data is how science progresses. This iterative process is fundamentally incompatible with badmouthing, which seeks to tear down rather than build up.

And now the shift from soul-based consciousness to the emergent theory of consciousness of the physically evolving brain

Refining Ideas: Many scientific breakthroughs have arisen from failed experiments or the realization that existing theories were incomplete or incorrect. For example, the shift from Newtonian physics to Einstein’s theory of relativity was not an attack on Newton but an evolution in understanding.

Badmouthing, by contrast, is about denigrating individuals, often based on personal grudges or emotional reactions. Science, by nature, rejects such behaviors because they do nothing to advance the pursuit of knowledge.

Focus on Ideas, Not Individuals: The scientific community is careful to critique ideas and results, not the people behind them. When scientists argue against a theory, they are addressing the methodology, data, or logic, not engaging in personal attacks. In fact, many scientists work collaboratively, challenging each other’s ideas in the pursuit of better answers.

Without it, science would stagnate, relying on unchallenged assumptions rather than constantly pushing the boundaries of knowledge.

Thie whole process isn’t about badmouthing any caveman's age claimant - it’s about ensuring that the conclusions drawn are valid and can be trusted to be conveyed to the young ones

The scientific method demands open-mindedness and the willingness to revise or discard even deeply held ideas if evidence contradicts them. This is not a form of antagonism or bad-mouthing, but a commitment to truth over personal belief or dogma.

Every groundbreaking theory—whether Newton’s laws, Darwin’s theory of evolution, or Einstein’s theory of relativity—was subjected to rigorous debate and scrutiny before being accepted by the scientific community.
Unlike badmouthing, where the intent is often to undermine or humiliate, the critique in science is designed to strengthen ideas by addressing their limitations and proposing improvements. Without science many parts of the world would still live in darkness. And many children's brain development would be compromised.

According to Prophet Popper, falsifiability is the idea that for a hypothesis to be scientific, it must be testable and capable of being proven wrong. This principle encourages scientists to challenge ideas and find weaknesses in them, not out of malice, but as a way of advancing understanding.

One of the hallmarks of science is peer review and open criticism of ideas. This is not an attack on the individuals proposing these ideas, but a way to test, refine, and improve theories. Every hypothesis must withstand scrutiny and be open to falsification. The entire scientific process depends on the willingness to challenge prevailing assumptions to uncover the truth.

Wake up! At its core, science operates through a rigorous process of inquiry, skepticism, and continuous questioning, with the aim of improving understanding and advancing knowledge. To conflate this with badmouthing—an attack on individuals or ideas based on malice or personal bias—completely misunderstands the nature of scientific inquiry.

Unlike PAS, science is fundamentally about challenging ideas to make progress, not about badmouthing, slandering or discrediting others for personal or political gain.

Talking about science, not bad mouthing

Soul? The idea that consciousness can exist without a functioning brain is not supported by scientific evidence. All available data suggest that consciousness is deeply tied to the brain’s physical processes. The fallacy lies in assuming that consciousness is an independent entity when it is, in fact, an emergent property of brain activity. Whether through clinical evidence, evolutionary theory, or neuroscientific research, the physical brain is shown to be essential for generating and maintaining consciousness. Attempts to separate the two introduce speculative and unsupported claims that fail to account for the wealth of evidence linking consciousness to neural function.

Brain Evolution: Higher-order consciousness, including self-awareness, appears in species with highly developed brains, like humans, primates, and some mammals. As the brain evolved more complex structures, such as the prefrontal cortex, consciousness emerged as a way to process information, anticipate outcomes, and navigate complex social environments.

Split-Brain Experiments: In patients who have undergone corpus callosotomy (a procedure to sever the connection between the two brain hemispheres), their consciousness appears to split. Each hemisphere seems to have its own distinct awareness, pointing again to the role of the brain in generating unified conscious experience.
If consciousness were not dependent on brain function, we would not expect such profound changes in memory, identity, and awareness with changes in brain structures.

Evidence from Coma and Brain Death
Clinical cases of coma and brain death illustrate the direct relationship between the brain’s functioning and consciousness:

Coma: When certain brain regions are damaged, particularly those involved in arousal and awareness, people fall into comas, where they lose consciousness. These states are reversible in some cases, demonstrating the dependence of consciousness on specific neural activity.
Brain Death: In cases of brain death, where all brain activity ceases, there is no recovery of consciousness. Brain-dead individuals cannot think, feel, or perceive.

Occam’s Razor: The principle of Occam’s Razor suggests that the simplest explanation that accounts for all the evidence is usually the best. The evidence overwhelmingly supports the view that consciousness is a product of physical brain processes. Introducing a non-physical, supernatural, or extra-brain consciousness adds unnecessary complexity to the explanation without empirical support.

These findings suggest that consciousness is inextricably linked to brain function. If certain parts of the brain are damaged or non-functional, consciousness is altered or lost, implying that the brain is necessary for its generation.

Neural Correlates of Consciousness: Modern neuroscience has identified brain networks closely tied to conscious experience, such as the Default Mode Network (DMN) and the Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW). Functional MRI (fMRI) and other brain imaging techniques show that specific patterns of neural activity correlate with various states of consciousness, such as wakefulness, attention, and self-awareness.

They are not foolish. Consciousness is a product of the brain’s physical processes. This is based on extensive evidence that changes in brain structure and function directly impact conscious experience.

Shut Down Billion-Dollar Paper Mills—No More Wastage, No More Excuses

This is not just a problem of unemployment—it is a symptom of broader dysfunction in governance. Without decisive action, we risk perpetuating a system that continues to churn out graduates with no future, deepening the cycle of poverty and regional inequality. It is time to stop wasting public funds, stop diverting resources from job creation, and refocus on policies that ensure every graduate has a path to meaningful employment.

We demand a new approach—one that prioritizes job creation, local industry support, and a rational education policy that produces graduates in fields where there is actual demand. We say NO to the overproduction of graduates and NO to the blind allocation of resources. The future of our youth and our regions depends on making the right decisions now.

Good opportunity for psychologists to conduct research on this cohort: If indoctrinated children begin to explore universalism or evolutionary science, they may feel guilt or shame for questioning the religious teachings they grew up with. This emotional distress is exacerbated by the fear of betraying their faith or family values. Such internal conflicts can lead to long-term psychological issues, including depression, anxiety, or identity crises, especially if they are torn between adhering to their upbringing and embracing new evidence-based ideas.

Mismanagement of Public Funds: What’s worse is that this dysfunction is being propped up by the mismanagement of public funds. Billions of ringgits are diverted into higher education programs that offer no tangible return on investment for students or society. Taxpayer money is being funneled into an education system that produces an oversupply of graduates with limited job prospects, while essential job creation efforts remain underfunded. This is nothing short of a diversion of public funds—money that should have been used to stimulate regional industries and generate jobs for local communities is instead fueling an unsustainable graduate pipeline.

This type of financial mismanagement represents a gross betrayal of the public trust. In Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang, local governments are failing to invest in infrastructure, job creation, and vocational training that could help diversify the economy and provide meaningful employment. Instead, we see funds diverted toward producing more and more graduates, with no regard for their future.