Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sol!emory!hubcap!billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu
From: billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe, 2847 )
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Education
Message-ID: <7532@hubcap.clemson.edu>
Date: 29 Dec 89 07:05:15 GMT
References: <B$c6qn@cs.psu.edu>
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From bralick@cs.psu.edu (Will Bralick):
> | > It _is_ relevant to their interest for them to study history.  It may
> | > not be _pleasurable_ (at least initially), but it is in their interest.
> | 
> |    If that were true, then they would choose it voluntarily.
> 
> If they don't know about it -- they won't choose it.  Some people
> believe in the "rational economic man" as an oversimplified model
> of human decision-making.  Such people think that _all_ people
> _always_ make informed, rational decisions.  

   Otherwise, they promptly learn the value of doing so.

> Children are least
> likely to know what is good for them in the long run.

   And so they have parents and academic advisors, who can
   advise the student as necessary.  

% | > Humanities may not be immediately gratifying, but they are not
% | > "irrelevant" to the student's interests.  How is one supposed to 
% | > be aware that certain "fields" even exist without having been 
% | > exposed to them?
% | 
% |    Simple... expose them to the library instead.
% 
% Waste their time in a _library_??  Don't you mean a technical library
% where they can focus their every moment on their career (which they
% chose when they were six)?  Or are you perhaps admitting that school
% should teach something _more_ than material strictly germane to their
% future careers?  

   The ability to use a library is a basic skill which facilitates the
   solving of practical problems which arise naturally in life.  For
   example, libraries provide information regarding the dealer prices
   of new automobiles, which is quite useful for negotiating purposes.
 
   Of course, they can also use the library for leisurely pursuits if
   they so desire, including the reading of history or literature.  

> Serious and misguided.  We will just have to agree to disagree.
> Speaking of money, I am still waiting for your measures of success
> on that financial fast-track:  how much?  

   Each individual must maximize according to his/her own measure of
   success; psychic rewards are among the benefits which must be factored
   into the measurement of success.
 
> how fast? 

   As soon as possible.  If we eliminate unnecessary topics, I think we
   could have people in a position of economic self-sufficiency by the
   age of 18; this would be considered reasonably fast.

> | > At what age is an individual encouraged to choose his profession?
> | 
> |    As soon as possible, since knowing your objective will keep
> |    you from having to take randomly selected courses while the
> |    objective is still being determined. 
> 
> This is getting amusing.  You might find it hard to imagine, but
> peoples' interests shift around while they are young.  Some few
> children lock onto a particular field and/or speciality very early
> in life, but generally interests change.  Your prescription is 
> intellectual poison.  

   Not at all; I fully expect that people will make several false starts
   before settling on their final objective.  However, they will have
   studied topics OF INTEREST TO THEM in the process of determining their
   ultimate career objective.   

> You are interested in subsidizing business, then.  

   No, I'm interested in enabling individuals to efficiently pursue
   economic power.  As per Maslow's hierarchy, they will move to 
   satisfy their more pressing needs (food on the table, etc.) first.

   Once a person's economic interests have been satisfied, then there
   is ample opportunity for the educational system to use advertising 
   and other methods to reach consumers who have cash in their pockets 
   (thanks to the success of the professional training) and cultural 
   thoughts on their minds. 


   Bill Wolfe, wtwolfe@hubcap.clemson.edu