While intended for a US audience this positive case for the study of arts & humanities (and by extension the social sciences) also has significant relevance for a UK higher education sector in crisis...
I may not agree with everything Steven Mintz says, but equally there's a lot that should given UK academics some reason to reflect on the plight of universities' arts, humanities & social science faculties & what might be done about it....
#universities #HigherEducation
stevenmintz.substack.com/p/the…
The Humanities Don’t Have a Relevance Problem—They Have a Preparation Problem
Why English and Philosophy majors are already essential to the AI economy, and universities still don’t know itSteven Mintz
Emeritus Prof Christopher May reshared this.
h4890
in reply to Emeritus Prof Christopher May • • •Excellent! These two stuck with me:
8. Rebuild norms of open discussion and disagreement.
Today, in my universities and schools, only "woke":ism is taught, and conservatives, christians or students critical of immigration are silenced and, at worst, expelled. This must be stopped, and it must be punished hard by the government.
All points of view must be heard, and respected. Before that, a school cannot claim to be an open space for discussion and critical thought. Naturally this does not mean that everyone has to agree.
and...
11. Don’t choose between access and excellence.
Too many schools only focus on access and earning easy graduation money by lowering standards. This cheats the students of their future, and in the US, where studenst also pay for it, it a double betrayal. Everyone should not go to university and quality must be high. That does not mean that people are not allowed to apply. But a university education cannot become everything to everyone withotu diluting it so it ultimately becomes meaningless.
Finally, if we wan
... show moreExcellent! These two stuck with me:
8. Rebuild norms of open discussion and disagreement.
Today, in my universities and schools, only "woke":ism is taught, and conservatives, christians or students critical of immigration are silenced and, at worst, expelled. This must be stopped, and it must be punished hard by the government.
All points of view must be heard, and respected. Before that, a school cannot claim to be an open space for discussion and critical thought. Naturally this does not mean that everyone has to agree.
and...
11. Don’t choose between access and excellence.
Too many schools only focus on access and earning easy graduation money by lowering standards. This cheats the students of their future, and in the US, where studenst also pay for it, it a double betrayal. Everyone should not go to university and quality must be high. That does not mean that people are not allowed to apply. But a university education cannot become everything to everyone withotu diluting it so it ultimately becomes meaningless.
Finally, if we want to foster mature people with critical thinking skills, that starts in primary school and high schools. It is not something that can wait until university.
Havoc BSc MSc
in reply to Emeritus Prof Christopher May • • •Emeritus Prof Christopher May
in reply to Havoc BSc MSc • • •@Havoc_online
yes, in the classroom, argument is always the best use of the time/space