I think he is only decrying what we often commiserate about on this list: the business model of education that seems to have won the day. Basic research is no longer valued and, if it can't show a practical (or at least politically pragmatic) purpose, it is unlikely to be funded. Universities have become vocational training centers with only a touch of the liberal arts left. His tone is intentionally provocative in saying that we are past the time when anything can be done about it but he is happy to have lived in a time before the current revolution wiped out the niche that he inhabited: a place where the liberal arts could be studied for their own sake and not to serve some more pragmatic purpose.
Rick Dr. Rick Froman, Chair Division of Humanities and Social Sciences Box 3055 x7295 [email protected] http://tinyurl.com/DrFroman Proverbs 14:15 "A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps." -----Original Message----- From: Paul Brandon [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 9:44 AM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: Re: [tips] The Fish Course (something fishy) I haven't read this article, but I do occasionally read him for amusement. He's a philosopher, which means that he doesn't feel any need to tie his statements to reality, and has no appreciation for systematic data collection. Internal consistency is all! Sounds like he's talking about himself. --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
