20 November 2010
A biologist gives his perspective. I’m not sure I like the ad hominem criticism of Mr. Philip, but this is a very cogent defense of the humanities and explanation of the function of a university.
A university education is not just about getting a higher salary, that’s what trade schools are for. The purpose of a university is to extend the bounds of human knowledge and to help prepare young adults become more productive members of society at large, not just make them more productive workers. There is nothing wrong with a university focusing on particular areas of excellence, but such focus should not include the elimination of entire disciplines from the curriculum. Nor should such focus be determined by consideration of profit and loss. There is reason that universities are non-profit institutions. The value of the university’s output does not map well onto the economic marketplace, which rewards short-term gains over long-term ones and minimizes short-term costs at the expense of increasing long-term ones.
(Hat tip: Why Evolution is True)
