Comments on: The Trouble With College http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/ Self-Experimentation, Scientific Method, the Shangri-La Diet, etc. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:52:22 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.7 by: Jez http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-5569 Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:12:43 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-5569 I think I was lucky on my course, you were able to put your own arguments forward, as long as you demonstrated an understanding of what you were taught, and put a balanced argument forward, you could introduce your own ideas. I think I was lucky on my course, you were able to put your own arguments forward, as long as you demonstrated an understanding of what you were taught, and put a balanced argument forward, you could introduce your own ideas.

]]> by: seth http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2427 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 11:51:55 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2427 Thanks, Sean. I didn't know that about creatine. Yes, maybe a future self-test. Thanks, Sean. I didn’t know that about creatine. Yes, maybe a future self-test.

]]> by: Sean http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2395 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 07:11:51 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2395 Great post, Seth - as a college freshman, I must say that I wholeheartedly agree. However, the diversity of teaching styles, doctrines, and course subjects needed to create a new college experience would only be possible through extensive use of the Internet and outsourcing (e.g. off-site Indian TAs/assistants). Unfortunately, universities and the politicians/bureaucracies that control them are loathe to implement these two components - especially the second - into university education. Until then, I'll be stuck with a terrible (for me) Business Communcations professor - I only had 2 choices in professors, and only one that fit my schedule. As Ruth pointed out, going against my true beliefs about good business communication habits to get an "A" instead of a "C" does me no good in the long run, and only makes me hate college and business school. BTW Seth, I ran across this article from 2003 on creatine and number memorization/IQ tests in Australia. Maybe a future self-test? As soon as I save some cash, I plan to try it out. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3145223.stm Great post, Seth - as a college freshman, I must say that I wholeheartedly agree. However, the diversity of teaching styles, doctrines, and course subjects needed to create a new college experience would only be possible through extensive use of the Internet and outsourcing (e.g. off-site Indian TAs/assistants). Unfortunately, universities and the politicians/bureaucracies that control them are loathe to implement these two components - especially the second - into university education.

Until then, I’ll be stuck with a terrible (for me) Business Communcations professor - I only had 2 choices in professors, and only one that fit my schedule. As Ruth pointed out, going against my true beliefs about good business communication habits to get an “A” instead of a “C” does me no good in the long run, and only makes me hate college and business school.

BTW Seth, I ran across this article from 2003 on creatine and number memorization/IQ tests in Australia. Maybe a future self-test? As soon as I save some cash, I plan to try it out.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3145223.stm

]]> by: Ruth Heasman http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2365 Mon, 05 Mar 2007 21:22:43 +0000 http://www.blog.sethroberts.net/2007/03/04/the-trouble-with-college/#comment-2365 Hi Seth, I couldn't agree with you more. My degree was in Philosophy and within that my favourite subject was the Philsophy of Mind. I remember studying both Daniel Dennett and John Searle. I enjoyed both immensely, but I agreed with Searle. Unfortunately, my professor was a follower of Dennett and through pride, I suppose, I wanted to get a 'first' mark in at least this one subject so in the exam I espoused Dennett's argument rather than Searle's. It hurt me to do it, but I got my 'first'. Years later, I bumped into Daniel Dennett at a book signing and somehow felt compelled to tell him all this... The poor guy, he must have thought I was an idiot! It just goes to show that I still carry that shame around with me to this day. Heck - here I am confessing all over again. Something is definitely wrong with the system though, when you know you must agree with your professor to get the desired grades. I always imagined that a Philosophy degree would be about thinking for oneself, but it turns out, it is just as hide bound as everything else. Hi Seth,

I couldn’t agree with you more. My degree was in Philosophy and within that my favourite subject was the Philsophy of Mind. I remember studying both Daniel Dennett and John Searle. I enjoyed both immensely, but I agreed with Searle. Unfortunately, my professor was a follower of Dennett and through pride, I suppose, I wanted to get a ‘first’ mark in at least this one subject so in the exam I espoused Dennett’s argument rather than Searle’s. It hurt me to do it, but I got my ‘first’.

Years later, I bumped into Daniel Dennett at a book signing and somehow felt compelled to tell him all this… The poor guy, he must have thought I was an idiot! It just goes to show that I still carry that shame around with me to this day. Heck - here I am confessing all over again.

Something is definitely wrong with the system though, when you know you must agree with your professor to get the desired grades. I always imagined that a Philosophy degree would be about thinking for oneself, but it turns out, it is just as hide bound as everything else.

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