Ars sine scienta nihil est… or.. ‘art without science is nothing.’ A most apposite latin maxim. Tonight I went to the ‘Quiz Nite’ at The Bollo in Chiswick/Acton. It was most enjoyable. Mr and Mrs Codebreaker attended, as did two of my neighbours. We did our best in the face of the adversity of bottles of Rioja which appeared miraculously on our table (I have no intention of offending any Christians with this statement) to cope with the questions – and we managed to acquit ourselves with a degree of resolution and dignity which was surprising.
A full report will/may/but probably will not follow – but, lest I forget, I mention only one question which troubled me – despite my long experience in teaching. The question was: “What is the word for the ‘ the art and science of teaching’. Having taught law for many years it was humbling not to get the correct answer. ‘Didactics’ was the answer – which, I suspect, came as a surprise to pretty well everyone at the Quiz Nite. Ironically – I know the word well…and use it in a perjorative sense with my brother, Professor R.D. Charon. It was galling to find that I failed to answer the question correctly – a much more subtle way of saying that I was wrong.
There is, however, pleasure, in discovering that one is not ‘infallible’. I suspect, however, that The Pope, in the light of his recent remarks about Islam, may well be more concerned with his speech making skills than I am at having failed to answer a question in a quiz. Is he going to give a speech about Buddhists now, in the wake of the recent coup d’etat in Thailand?
However, I am pleased to report that I did manage to be able to contribute the information that Ringo Starr was one, of two, Beatles, who is left handed – and on that note… I feel that I can return for another Quiz Nite. It was a strangely relaxing and enjoyable experience. The questions were well put together – the organisation impeccable – and, it was enjoyable. The Quiz Master was excellent – even though he was without his usual microphone. One of our number, a female friend of mine, was particularly interested in him.
I am sure that our team will win the free champagne and the £100 prize one day; on the premise that Quinon proficit deficit – He who does not advance, goes backwards.
What’s wrong with ‘pedagogy’, a far more venerable term than ‘didactics’?
[...] Below is a comment from ‘Such a person’ to my post on the Quiz ‘Nite’ (infra) – and my abject failure to answer the question about the word meaning… the ‘art and science of teaching’ (See my post below) Below is the comment which prompted my mildly over refreshed comment tonight. Astute readers, who may enjoy the MI5 website, will note that it is 3.57 am… the exciting difference is… that I have not just got up, as I have been doing for ten days, but I am still upand planning to go to bed. – I am enjoying a Friday night making speeches about all manner of religious groupings … in a papal sort of way and…. without triggering mass protest, obloquy or, indeed, any other reaction) would hope that my contribution to market research into wine drinking will be of benefit, at least to the wine sellers at The Bollo in Chiswick/South Acton. [...]