Academentia II: The Return Of Porphyrogenitus

Much of the value of the Blogosphere comes from its ability to absorb both facts and opinions and respond to them rapidly. For example, Porphyrogenitus has already responded to my earlier post.

A couple of points that I might have made clearer:

I do indeed see the value of liberal arts studies. History in particular I find fascinating, and it is obviously useful in putting today's world events in perspective and understanding them, and so an essential field of study for anyone going into politics. Literature - while I prefer to read for the pleasure of reading, I have no problem with those who seek to understand what makes a great book great. And so on.

As Por' notes, the problem is not with the subject matter so much as the way it is taught, which goes back, of course, to the teachers.

As I understand it, the idea behind having a liberal arts degree in the modern world is not so much the knowledge involved - what does a history degree prepare you for, apart from studying more history or teaching the same? Writing bad fantasy novels, perhaps... Not so much the knowledge gained, but being taught to think. Logic and reasoning and suchlike.

As someone recently said on this subject (possibly it was Victor David Hanson), the problem is that the teachers are no longer satisfied with teaching their students to think, but now feel it is their duty to teach them how and what to think.

My purpose in exposing arts students to mathematics and science and engineering was not intended as a slight on the arts studies themselves (though the character of this blog is to toss off all but the most serious of topics with a clever remark), but that the difference in thinking in the schools of science and engineering would expose those students to a new world of thought. Two new worlds in fact.

First, in science and engineering and mathematics and accounting, you can be wrong. It's not a matter of opinion or politics, it's just wrong. No, that bridge will not stay up. No, you can't have a double-bond with hydrogen. No, the square root of two is not a rational number. No amount of debate will change these things. The facts of science, the rigorous logic of mathematics, the application of these in engineering - this is a different world.

Second, because of this, the destructive theories of Postmodernism cannot find a foothold in any sane science or engineering faculty. Postmodernism, to an engineer, is simply and obviously wrong. So the particular leftist structure that we find built around PoMo thought today likewise finds no place. Not that there are no leftists in science or engineering - hardly that! - but there is equally a place for centrists and conservatives. As long as the equations are right, as long as the facts check out, as long as the plane flies, as the building stands, that is what matters and your politics not at all.

And that is as strong an antidote to the Idiots of Academia as I know.

Also, Porphyrogenitus wishes us all to know that he is not in fact bound for Mexico.

It's Bermuda.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 01:46 AM

Comments

Posted by: Roberta at October 07, 2003 03:21 AM (iwG+J)

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