[Edu-sig] An OLPC comment

[Arthur]

Hate being the grunch.  I hope the OLPC accomplishes everything it sets 
out to and more.

What I suspect is that - having learnt something about complexity and 
dynamic systems from computers - that the most profound effects of the 
initiative will be unintended ones. Let's hope they are mostly good.

Particularly given this, I don't understand the embedded need, as part 
of the process, to the compromise on some basic ideas - normally called 
science.

We - on edu-sig - were trying to form some consensus on the need for 
empiricism around these issues.

And in his own way, by my reading of events, my erstwhile friend Kirby 
was trying to suggest something along these lines during his 
participation at the Shuttleworth summit.  Or - maybe more what he was 
suggesting - is that until there is empricial evidence that leads us in 
a certain and clear direction, best encourage the diversity of ideas.

OLPC seem to represent very much a counter vision.

Seems to me the OLPC has counter ideas on both empiricism *and* the 
diversity of ideas.

Here is Nicholas Negroponte's reaction to the idea of bringing empricism 
to the party.

http://www.olpcnews.com/implementation/plan/implementation_miracle.html

So there will not be consensus, apparently,



Art