5 subjects for a new curriculum
Dartmouth Hall 2 (Photo credit: kentquirk)
Looking back, the most important courses I took in college were the ones which taught me new ways of thinking about the world. In addition to basic writing, math, and grit, I believe high schools would do well to focus on such subjects.
Statistics and probability. Instead of seeing the world as black or white, statistics and probabilities open up a rich world of greys. A solution might be right 85% of the time, with a 5% margin of error.
Economics. Understanding opportunity cost, sunk cost and marginal cost help you make better decisions in day-to-day life. And don't forget supply and demand, mutual benefits of trade, expected value, pareto efficiency and countless more.
Psychology. Specifically, an understanding of the differents kinds of cognitive biases can make us more aware of mistakes that we're likely to make (though not entirely).
Computer Science. Algorithms teach you how to break complex tasks into simple, repeatable steps. Recursion and dynamic programming are incredibly elegant concepts once you understand them.
Evolutionary biology. Beyond its origins (no pun intended) in biology, evolution is a great tool for understanding how an environment can shape participants in a system.
What subjects do you believe fit into this category?
