1

S E S S I O N 10 Weeds in Intellectual

Formation

Weeds in the Field •  “While men were sleeping, his enemy came

and sowed weeds among the wheat” (Matthew 13:25)."

•  “It is legitimate and even necessary to ask whether [the socioeconomic system of the West] is not the work of another ideology of evil, more subtle and hidden, perhaps, intent upon exploiting human rights themselves against man and against the family” (St. John Paul II, Memory and Identity, p. 11)."

The Four Types of Formation

Human Formation"The material body is now

subject to decay and death."

Intellectual Formation"Darkened intellect struggles

to perceive the truth."

Pastoral Formation"Relationships are wounded by tension and domination."

Moral Formation"Weakened will struggles to embrace

its true good."

Formation"of the"

Human Person"

•  “Except for a few cognitive instincts, newborns pretty much just perceive and react … Cognitive development is the product of two interacting influences – brain growth and experience.”"

•  “The brain continues to change in response to experience throughout the lifespan. We are in lifelong development, as reflected in the ever-changing structure of the brain throughout our lives … attachment relationships are the major environmental factors that shape brain development during its period of maximal growth.”"

The Basis of Intellectual Formation

Source: Eliot, E., “What’s Going on in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life,” Bantam Books, New York, 1999, p. 392 and pp. 412-414. Siegel, D., “The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are,” 2nd Edition, The Guilford Press, New York, 2012, pp, 35 and 112.

2

Intellectual formation is called to be founded upon the experience of another person."

We are struggling with intellectual formation in the United States."

A Picture of International Education

US #29 #36 #28 #24 #4

1 Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai Luxembourg

9 Liechtenstein Switzerland Poland Ireland Sweden

10 Macau, China Netherlands Liechtenstein Poland Netherlands

Overall

2 Singapore Singapore Hong Kong Hong Kong Switzerland

3 Hong Kong Hong Kong Singapore Singapore Norway

4 South Korea Taiwan Japan Japan United States

5 Japan South Korea Finland South Korea Austria

6 Taiwan Macau, China Estonia Finland Denmark

7 Finland Japan South Korea Taiwan Iceland

8 Estonia Liechtenstein Vietnam Canada Belgium

Source: OECD, “PISA 2012 Results in Focus: What 15-year-olds know and what they can do with what they know,” 2013, p.5. OECD, “Education at a Glance,” 2011, Table B1.1a, p. 218.

Math Science Reading Expend/Cap

Solution: Longer, Harder, Smarter •  Increase school year: Push to increase length of

school year by up to 300 hours per year (daily 7am-5pm, every other Saturday, shortened summer)."

•  Earlier start: Push to begin formal education earlier (PreK-4 and PreK-3)."

•  Testing and Homework: Push to increase rigor of testing and increase amount of homework."

•  Smarter: Continued commitment to have the latest and best technology at all levels (iPad in PreK)."

Is the fundamental issue with education in the United States simply that our children are not

working hard enough?"

Let’s look at some data."

3

200

600

800

Shanghai Japan Korea Hong Kong

Singapore 0

Leng

th o

f Sch

ool Y

ear K

-12

(Hou

rs p

er Y

ear)

Finland

Source: OECD, “PISA 2012 Results: What Makes Schools Successful? Resources, Policies and Practices, IV,” 2013, Revised February 2014, Table IV.3.20, p. 343. Bush, M., et al., “School Calendar: Length of the School Year,” Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year, August 2011. United States Census Bureau, “Population Estimates,” State Totals: Vintage 2013.

400

Liechenstein Estonia Macau China

1000

USA

Issue: Work Longer? Average – 753 hours/year. Students in the USA will spend 4.7 additional “Top Ten average years” during their K-12 education in the United States."

720

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

761

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

626

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

770

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

810

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

772

Star

t – 2

nd G

rade"

704

Star

t – 2

nd G

rade"

908

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

708

Star

t – 1

st G

rade"

957

Star

t – K

inde

rgar

ten"

3

9

12

Shanghai Japan Korea Hong Kong

Singapore 0

Amou

nt o

f Hom

ewor

k (H

ours

per

Wee

k)

Finland

Source: OECD, “PISA 2012 Results: What Makes Schools Successful? Resources, Policies and Practices, IV,” 2013, Revised February 2014, Table IV.3.27, p. 356.

6

Liechenstein Estonia Macau China

15

USA

Issue: Work Harder? 13.8

9.4

6

2.9 3.8

2.8

6.9

3.3

5.9 6.1 Average – 6.09"

0.2

0.6

0.8

Shanghai Japan Korea Hong Kong

Singapore 0

Tech

nolo

gy

(Sch

ool C

ompu

ter p

er S

tude

nt)

Finland

Source: OECD, “PISA 2012 Results: What Makes Schools Successful? Resources, Policies and Practices, IV,” 2013, Revised February 2014, Table IV.3.18, p. 341.

0.4

Liechenstein Estonia Macau China

1.0

USA

Issue: Work Smarter?

0.51

0.67 0.73

0.40

0.56 0.46

0.69 0.62

1.02 0.95

Average – 0.63"

0.1

0.3

0.4

Shanghai Japan Korea Hong Kong

Singapore 0

Div

orce

(M

arri

age

Rat

e/D

ivor

ce R

ate)

Finland

Source: OECD, “PISA 2012 Results: What Makes Schools Successful? Resources, Policies and Practices, IV,” 2013, Revised February 2014, Table IV.3.18, p. 341.

0.2

Liechenstein Estonia Macau China

0.5

USA

A Contributing Factor: Family Breakdown

0.22

0.28

0.22

0.38 0.34

0.46

0.54 0.50

0.29

0.50

Average – 0.36"

4

Familial discord introduces tremendous stress into the life of children on the emotional, physical and

socioeconomic level."Source: Lee, B., et al., “Associations of Salivary Cortisol with Cognitive Function in the Baltimore Memory Study,” Archives of General Psychiatry, v. 64, no. 7, July 2007. Hanson, J., et al., “Structural variations in prefrontal cortex mediate the relationship between early childhood stress and spatial working memory,” Journal of Neuroscience, June 6, 2012. Arensten, A., “Stress signaling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function,” Nature Reviews Neuroscience, June 2009. Lupien, S., et al., “Effects of stress throughout the lifespan on the brain, behaviour and cognition,” Nature, June 2009.

Stress and the Brain •  Increased cortisol levels impact six

cognitive functions: language, processing speed, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning, verbal memory and learning, and visual memory."

•  Stress can lead to decreased volumes in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex."

•  Early childhood stress is linked with reduced spatial working memory. "

A Plan to Create Additional Stress • Work longer – Reduced sleep leads to increased evening levels of cortisol and decreased glucose tolerance."

• Work harder – Time in nature and green space is linked to lower cortisol levels and lower stress."

• Work smarter (use technology) – Lower screen time is associated with more sleep and lower depression levels."

Source: Spiegel, K., et al., “Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function,” The Lancet, v. 354, October 23, 1999. Thompson, C., et al., “More green space is linked to less stress in deprived communities: Evidence from salivary cortisol patterns,” Landscape and Urban Planning, 105, 2012. Gentile, D., et al., “Protective Effects of Parental Monitoring of Children’s Media Use: A Prospective Study,” JAMA Pediatrics, May 2014, v. 168, no. 5.

IQ –

Dan

ish

Arm

y R

ecru

its

Sources: Teasdale, T., et al., “A long-term rise and recent decline in intelligence test performance: The Flynn Effect in reverse,” Personality and Individual Differences, 2005. Shayer, M., et al., “Thirty years on – a large anti-Flynn effect? The Piagetian test Volume and Heaviness norms 1975-2003,” British Journal of Educational Psychology, 2007.

1998 2004 100

102

104

106

110

1975 2003

Mea

n Sc

ore

(Vol

ume

and

Hea

vine

ss)

1959

108

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

A Leveling of Intelligence? • After rising steadily for almost 40 years, the IQ scores for Danish army recruits has begun to decline."

• Boys who are 12 are scoring as low as 8-9 years from 30 years ago on understanding real world science concepts."

• PSAT critical reading and writing skills scores have fallen in the past decade."

109.5

108.2

5.42

4.29

100

5

Tim

e on

Pag

e (S

econ

ds)

Sources: Nielsen, J., “How Little Do Users Read?,” Alertbox, May 6, 2008. Rockwell, S., et al., “The Effect of the Modality of Presentation of Streaming Multimedia on Information Acquisition,” Media Psychology, 9, pp. 179-191, 2007.

200 Words

1000 Words

0

20

40

60

80

Text Only

Text + AV

Corr

ect A

nsw

ers

4

5

6

7

8

Restructuring the Activity of the Brain

34

78

7.04

5.98

•  Of its nature, the internet alters the way the brain processes information."

•  Individuals skim information as they move from page to page."

•  Prefrontal cortex works at elevated levels to sort through information."

•  Working memory is overwhelmed."•  “Consolidation” into long term

memory doesn’t happen lessening the brain’s ability to reflect."

•  The brain accepts what it receives, which is based on popularity."

What happens when we fail to consider problems deeply and allow public opinion to become the

measure of truth?"The story of Adolf Hitler."

Adolf Hitler •  Born April 20, 1889 in Braunau am Inn Austria."•  Performs poorly at school. Wants to be an artist, but is

rejected by the Viennese Academy of Art twice."•  Serves as a dispatch runner in World War I."•  Gains popularity through beer hall speeches."•  Arrested November 11, 1923 for attempted coupe."•  Legitimately appointed Chancellor on January 30, 1933."•  Largest political party in 1933 elections."•  July 14, 1933, Socialists declared only legal party."•  Annexes Austria on March 12, 1938."•  Exterminates 6 million Jews during World War II."•  Commits suicide on April 30, 1945."Source: Kershaw, I., “Hitler, v. 1 1889-1936

Hubris and v.2: 1936-1945 Nemesis,” W. W. Norton & Company, New York, 1998 and 2000.

Fredrick Nietzsche and the Superman •  “Man is something that shall be overcome … All beings so

far have created something beyond themselves … You have made your way from worm to man, and much in you is still worm … Behold, I teach you the overman.”"

•  “I say: what is falling, we should still push … I am a prelude of better players, O my brothers! Follow my precedent. And he whom you cannot teach to fly, teach to fall faster.”"

•  “I know my fate. One day there will be associated with my name the recollection of something frightful – of a crisis like no other before on earth … there will be wars such as there have never yet been on earth."

Source: “The Portable Nietzsche,” Translated by Kaufmann, W., Penguin Books, 1954-1982, p. 124 and p. 321. Nietzsche, F., “Ecce Homo,” Translated by Hollingdale, R., Penguin Classics, 2004,pp. 96-97.

6

Adolf Hitler and the Aryan Race •  “The gravest and most ruthless decisions will have

to be made … the demand that defective people be prevented from propagating equally defective offspring is a demand of the clearest reason … if necessary, the incurably sick will be pitilessly segregated – a barbaric measure for the unfortunate … but a blessing for his fellow man.”"

•  “As I was strolling through the Inner City, I suddenly encountered an apparition in a black caftan and black hair locks. ‘Is this a Jew?’ was my first thought … but the longer I stared at this foreign face … the more my first question assumed a new form: ‘Is this a German?’”"

Source: Hitler, A., “Mein Kampf,” trans. Manheim, R., Houghton Mifflin Company, New York, 1927, p. 255 and p. 56.

2000

6000

8000

12th 16th 15th 14th 13th 0 So

roki

ni In

dex

of W

ar In

tens

ity

17th

Source: Sorokin, P., “Social and Cultural Dynamics,” v. 4, Table 49, p. 655. Author estimate for 20th Century extrapolated based upon Sorokin value after WWI.

4000

19th 18th 20th

A Tragic Era for Europe

18 24 60 100 180 500 370 120

~8000

Alois Hitler: The Fertile Soil for Adolf •  Born on June 7, 1837, Alois Hitler is the illegitimate

son of Maria Anna Schicklgruber."•  Alois has an illegitimate child in 1860’s."•  At 36, Alois marries Anna Glassl – aged 50."•  Alois has an affair and child with a maid, Franziska

Matzelberger."•  While Franziska is dying of tuberculosis, Alois has

an affair and child with Klara Polzl."•  Everyday beats Adolf, who becomes “tantamount

to an unperson.”"•  Alois “took little interest in bringing up a family, and

was happier outside rather than inside the family home.” "

Source: Kershaw, I., “Hitler, v. 1 1889-1936 Hubris,” W. W. Norton & Company, New York, pp. xxv and 3-13.

Next Week"Weeds in Moral Formation!

Small Group Discussion Starter Questions"

1.  How are you going to help others recognize the true issues involved in forming our youth?"

2.  What specific steps are you going to take to reduce stress in someone else’s life?"