Re: terms

Robert White (rwhite@superior.carleton.ca)
4 Oct 96 23:56:22 GMT

In <32559720.221@tao.sosc.osshe.edu> "Sylvia T. Paldhan" <pald1208@tao.sosc.osshe.edu> writes:
>"Veritas est potentas, et prevailabit", or something like that. I prefer
>the most easily understood language for the most readers, and trust that
>the ones who could comprehend it (probably over 35, those younger are not
>responsible for what passed/es for their education) will also correctly
>attribute it.
> "Truth is mighty and will prevail."

A true 'Liberal Arts' education is a thing of the past, but then again
so is the notion of consensus! Under which 'lyre' does one lend an
ear?

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Mieczkowski, B. (1984). Bureaucracy, Ideology, Technology: Quality of life
East and West. Association for the Study of the
Nationalities (USSR and East Europe) Inc.

"Those of us who believe in professionalism, decency, and maintenance
of academic standards ought to take note of the disparity between
theory and fact. The incongruities created by reliance on theories,
as well as the decisions -- individual and collective -- made on their
basis, frequently in total ignorance of facts, do not serve us well.
Specifically, they do not help to optimize the individual and social
solutions. Exposure to facts seems the only remedy, both to help
optimizing plans, and to help improve our educational system, if,
indeed, such an improvement can be hoped for. As it is, it appears
that the system makes a mockery of the stated purposes of education.

On the other hand, if we decide that the system as it may just as well
be continued, we should remodel our educational system in the direction
of preparing the students for careers based solely on servility to
superiors. We should heed the observation by W.H. Auden ("Under Which
Lyre") that "And when he occupies a college/Truth is replaced by Useful
Knowledge" and provide without shame the kind of useful knowledge that
has proven functional in academia. We should then start offering Funda-
mentals of Toadism, Principles of Bootlicking, Seminar in Ingratiating
Metastasis, Intermediate Use of Vaseline, Advanced Fawning on Superiors,
Applied Art of Apple Polishing (triple A, P on at least 300 level), Pro-
blems in Currying of Favors, Tutorials in Self-Serving Flattery, and--
of course -- Independent Research in Asslicking. At least then the
purpose of education will be clearly stated without obfuscations, expli-
citly, and boldly. We will then know the purpose and the methods, and
we will be able to assess better the success of the educational system
in preparing the youth of the country for the task ahead of them. Their
parents will know better than they do at present what they would be
paying for, and those who for some strange and undoubtedly irrational
reasons decide to opt out will know what they are missing. The ideal
of gaining knowledge about our system will have been well served. Having
watched the confusion among some students, and the growing cynicism of
others under the present system of disparate values and practices, I
find the adoption of a more logical and explicit system preferable and
more functional than the present system". (p. 247)

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   ----------------------------------------- Carleton University ----------

               Robert G. White               Dept. of Psychology   

                                             Ottawa, Ontario. CANADA

   INTERNET ADDRESS ----- rwhite@ccs.carleton.ca ------------------- E-MAIL

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