Should physical education be compulsory since a healthy body promotes a healthy mind..?

Question

how is this question biased and how could I rewrite this to remove the bias??

Answer 1

Do you think that Stephen Hawking has a healthy mind?

We make assumptions and correlations all the time that are not necessarily related. You don't need to have a healthy body to have a healthy mind, and I think that forcing anyone to pursue knowledge is likely to result in a waste of time and interest on the part of the student.

Answer 2

Personally, I see your question as a perfectly valid one. However, I have been called "harsh" in the way I approach questions (imagine my cute little eye winking at you).  My answer to you is that I personally think we should leave manditory subjects to those that are easiest to define: the three "R"s.  You do not have to provide proof to me that increased oxygen to the brain enhances the brain's efficiency.  However, it might be helpful to explain your perception of physical education.  Unfortunately, PE takes on the aura of training for group sports in every public school PE syllybus I have seen.  The standard objects of a traditional physical education program are not the only ways to increase brain oxygen levels and brain function, though.  My 15 yo son chops wood for the burn pile.  The number of naturally felled trees on our property keep him busy.  He hates group sports but loves to jump on the trampoline.  His agility and muscle control has improved greatly since the day we first aquired the trampoline.  My 13 yo son loves landscaping and would be glad to dig up a good portion of our acreage and use the riding mower to cut down the rest.  The trouble is that he is so lean from his landscaping work that he is not able to sit on the riding mower unless we disable the safety mechanism on the seat.  He simply doesn't weigh enough to trip the switch off when he sits down on it!  The 11 yo prefers chasing the 4 yo, capturing him, and tickling him.  The 7 yo loves gardening because, being the only girl, she feels she must keep up the quota of flowers in our yard.  All the children enjoy running around the acreage with sticks in their own version of Middle Earth reenactments.  As a family, we hike and bike, though the 4 yo is too young to bike at the same speed and must be towed by one of his brothers or one of his parents; we take turns. The 13 and 11 yo recently discovered that they really do love playing basketball and have asked if they may join the track team, too.  The oldest still wants nothing to do with that form of physical movement.  While many of these activities would be dubious on a syllabus for manditory physical education, they keep my children quite fit.  They also allow for different likes and dislikes.  Would anyone honestly accept wood chopping as PE?  Yet, he burns a great deal of calories and intakes large gulps of fresh air by chopping and sawing logs!  I agree to mandating the three "R"s but a home schooling family should have the right to present a healthy lifestyle in the way which works best for each family.  I fear that to mandate PE would be to take away the right to everyday activities and replace them completely with contrived games; some families may prefer the latter but the option is more important.

Answer 3

The whole rational of the sentence "a healthy body promotes a healthy mind" is subjective and therefore has bias.

You could simply write "Should physical education be compulsory?"  

Of course that still leaves the problem of using education and complusory.  Education really can't be compulsory, because you cannot be forcefully educated.  Attendance can be compulsory, but that doesn't really make sense for your question.  

Perhaps physical activity is better, but that could mean any movement.  So, I guess exercise it the best choice.

So, my final editing would be...

"Should exercise be compulsory?"

And my answer would be... "No"  I think people should be allowed to live their own lives without compulsory anything.

:D

Answer 4

Take out the part about a healthy body promoting a healthy mind and it will be less biased. Maybe ask them as two seperate questions. Should phys. ed. be compulsory? Does a healthy body promote a healthy mind?

Answer 5

Answer this: Are you still a member of a cult?

or

Do you still beat your wife?

See how these Q's assume things that may not be true? A yes or no question is impossible.

Your question:

1. Presumes force, rather than encouragement or education about the benefits of physical activity is the only means to get people involved

2. Does not show any evidence that a healthy body does lead to a healthy mind or that physical education classes lead to a healthy body.

You are leaving yourself open for some very strong rebuttals.