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Plunging test scores are a slow-moving catastrophe

207 points · 414 comments · vinni2

  1. vincent-uden · · focus · HN ↗
    This very much echoes the region of critical slowing down present in a dynamical system after its equilibrium states have disappeared due to a change in the system (a bifurcation).
    1. andsoitis · · focus · HN ↗
      restate in simple language please?
      1. spockz · · focus · HN ↗
        “ a system can deteriorate slowly even after something fundamental has changed.”: <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;chatgpt.com&#x2F;share&#x2F;6ab7e7ca-7d54-83ed-931b-55300fa1f435" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;chatgpt.com&#x2F;share&#x2F;6ab7e7ca-7d54-83ed-931b-55300fa1f4...

        So really it is not saying much at all.

        1. vincent-uden · · focus · HN ↗
          A bifurcation is a non-continuous change to a system as a result of a continuous parameter changing.

          For example the disappearance of a stable temperature of the earth due to a continuous increase in green house emissions.

          In this case the change in test scores is continuous yet might still lead to the disappearance of a stable point in society like white-collar work. At the start the change might seems slow but the point of no return could have already been passed.

          I&#x27;m not saying I necessarily believe that (or that I stated it with much clarity) but I thought it was interesting how it &quot;rhymes&quot; with dynamical system theory.

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