Word: notion
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...racial gap in test scores is one of the most vexing problems in social science, in part because it opens the door to the whole creepy notion of eugenics. Eugenicists believe that the human species would advance more quickly if it discouraged reproduction among certain groups deemed unfit - say, those that score poorly on aptitude tests. It's worth noting that the SAT was designed by a psychology professor who became a leading member of the eugenics movement before denouncing it later in life...
...repeat my view: I think that grade inflation has resulted from the prevalence in American education of the notion of self-esteem. According to that therapeutic notion, the purpose of education is to make students feel capable and "empowered," and professors should hesitate to pass judgment on what students have learned. The idea of self-esteem is as rampant in higher education, and at Harvard, the supposed pinnacle of American education, as in primary and secondary education. Did not the Crimson editorial on my two-grade experiment worry that the real grade (as opposed to the transcript grade) would...
...Damage" [HEALTH, FEB. 5] was a balanced, informative and timely report. While continuing research into lifestyle activity will contribute to even more realistic recommendations, your story provided a helpful summary of where we are to date. I would add three additional considerations. First, we must begin to align the notion of fun with activity that is inherently health promoting. Second, we must acknowledge that risk-related behaviors usually have developed over several years and that it takes time to adopt new, healthier habits. Finally, beginning any healthy lifestyle change can lead to one of the greatest motivators of all--hope...
...Annie Get Your Gun." Sure, this Irving Berlin classic is about as mainstream as theater gets (though Graciela Daniele's tasteful update, which originally starred Bernadette Peters, goes a long way to neutralizing the politically incorrect treatment of Indians). But a country singer playing Annie Oakley? It's a notion so obvious and unexpected that it has the shock of the revolutionary. The real shock, though, is how well Reba pulls...
...anachronism: nostalgia for an America that never was, for an innocence unclouded by pain or compromise. If that sounds too sweet, then go to an Eminem concert. But there's something tonic about this pretty, compact version of the freeway reality that's just outside the gate. The very notion of getting around California on foot may make a guest giddy. So let the "real" California suffer the brownout blues. At this splendid Disney adventure, visitors need never stop glowing...