I agree with this sentiment. I graduated with a CS degree from a major UK university almost two years ago, and I find myself technically ignorant. I did well in classes covering data structures, programming paradigms, logic, and so forth, but ask me about spinlock or whatever and you'll be lucky to get a blank stare.
I find myself moving away from programming/technical work as I've started working. I'm not very good at self-teaching so working through something like 'The C Programming Language' to try to understand low-level concepts is frustrating, and looking for help just seems to solicite responses of 'don't bother if you don't understand'.
Companies these days put emphasis on experience on most roles, when what I really want - in a way - is guidance and apprenticeship. It's probably not going to happen, so I might as well stick with the Excel and Powerpoint work that's getting me a paycheque.
" Obviously, the authorship of the Pentateuch (and consequently the date) is a subject of debate.
Orthodox Jews and fundamentalist Christians generally support the Mosaic authorship, with datings in the 13th-15th century BCE. "
Some more details perhaps? Speaking as an orthodox jew - the Torah (hebrew name for the Pentateuch) had only one author, which was Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses). Jewish tradition holds that Moses was dictated the Torah on Mt Sinai until Parshas Yisro (about 3/5ths through) - as that was the point until current events had occured. I'm not sure of the exact date, but I believe it was about 3600 years ago.
An interesting point to note is what would have happened had Moses had the entire Torah dictated to him? By all means he would have lost his free will (a spiritual impossibility by jewish reckoning) as he would have had the entire future dictated to him by G-d, and would therefore not had any ability whatsoever to go against it. Rather, (and I asked one of my rabbis this) once events had occured - e.g. the deaths of Aaron and Miriam, the building of the Mishkan (tabernacle), etc - Moses would be further dictated to by G-d, and record what was told to him in the original scroll. The Midrashim (oral traditions that give details of biblical events) tell that on the day he died, Moses had the last of the Torah dictated to him, taught it to Joshua, and wrote enough other Torah scrolls for each of the 12 tribes and several for the tribe of Levi, who would be dedicated Torah scholars.
For all of Jewish scripture (the Tanach), the Torah is the only section considered absolutely divine. Kabbalah (proper Kabbalah) even states that G-d has the Torah surrounding his Throne of Glory, made up of black flames on white flames.
The other sections, Nevi'im (prophets) and Ketuvim (writings) are not considered divine - rather written by people with divine inspiration.
The Torah is also considered an incredibly dense code that can only be unlocked with the Oral Torah (the Talmud), as this contains the wisdom and traditions handed down through the generations, many from Moses himself.
I thought people might like a bit more insight into the Jewish side of things.
Actually, thats incorrect. The Jewish calender is counted from the creation of Adam - the first man/creature with a divine soul.
There is no counting before then (what some would refer to as the 6th day), so Genesis doesn't really comment in any way on how long the creation of the universe itself would have taken
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I agree with this sentiment. I graduated with a CS degree from a major UK university almost two years ago, and I find myself technically ignorant. I did well in classes covering data structures, programming paradigms, logic, and so forth, but ask me about spinlock or whatever and you'll be lucky to get a blank stare. I find myself moving away from programming/technical work as I've started working. I'm not very good at self-teaching so working through something like 'The C Programming Language' to try to understand low-level concepts is frustrating, and looking for help just seems to solicite responses of 'don't bother if you don't understand'. Companies these days put emphasis on experience on most roles, when what I really want - in a way - is guidance and apprenticeship. It's probably not going to happen, so I might as well stick with the Excel and Powerpoint work that's getting me a paycheque.
" Obviously, the authorship of the Pentateuch (and consequently the date) is a subject of debate.
Orthodox Jews and fundamentalist Christians generally support the Mosaic authorship, with datings in the 13th-15th century BCE. "
Some more details perhaps? Speaking as an orthodox jew - the Torah (hebrew name for the Pentateuch) had only one author, which was Moshe Rabbeinu (Moses).
Jewish tradition holds that Moses was dictated the Torah on Mt Sinai until Parshas Yisro (about 3/5ths through) - as that was the point until current events had occured. I'm not sure of the exact date, but I believe it was about 3600 years ago.
An interesting point to note is what would have happened had Moses had the entire Torah dictated to him? By all means he would have lost his free will (a spiritual impossibility by jewish reckoning) as he would have had the entire future dictated to him by G-d, and would therefore not had any ability whatsoever to go against it. Rather, (and I asked one of my rabbis this) once events had occured - e.g. the deaths of Aaron and Miriam, the building of the Mishkan (tabernacle), etc - Moses would be further dictated to by G-d, and record what was told to him in the original scroll.
The Midrashim (oral traditions that give details of biblical events) tell that on the day he died, Moses had the last of the Torah dictated to him, taught it to Joshua, and wrote enough other Torah scrolls for each of the 12 tribes and several for the tribe of Levi, who would be dedicated Torah scholars.
For all of Jewish scripture (the Tanach), the Torah is the only section considered absolutely divine. Kabbalah (proper Kabbalah) even states that G-d has the Torah surrounding his Throne of Glory, made up of black flames on white flames.
The other sections, Nevi'im (prophets) and Ketuvim (writings) are not considered divine - rather written by people with divine inspiration.
The Torah is also considered an incredibly dense code that can only be unlocked with the Oral Torah (the Talmud), as this contains the wisdom and traditions handed down through the generations, many from Moses himself.
I thought people might like a bit more insight into the Jewish side of things.
Take it easy,
Richard
Actually, thats incorrect.
The Jewish calender is counted from the creation of Adam - the first man/creature with a divine soul.
There is no counting before then (what some would refer to as the 6th day), so Genesis doesn't really comment in any way on how long the creation of the universe itself would have taken