But a problem I encountered as a lecturer was that when one encourages students to be sceptical, many easily go from excessive credulity regarding experts and authorities, to assuming that one should just ignore experts and that all opinions are equally valid.
Consolidation of such an insight into a more mature and balanced view of the world may mostly occur among those who fail, for whatever reason, to fully assimilate the current dominant worldview. I suspect that lack of consolidation is why sophomoric cynicism is so often forgotten in a happy return to a less critical embrace of the predominant views of the society after college. A proper consolidation of a critical view must, of necessity, be idiosyncratic and, hence, not suitable for lecture based presentation. It would require as much the skills of a psychoanalyst as of those of a philosopher. It would be expensive and would inevitably be seen, (properly,) as subversive of the current social order. In order for this to be tolerated, there must be a widespread perception of a need for new ways of thinking about the nature and structure of society. Such times are approaching. The question is whether the societal responses will be ones that facilitate or suppress social criticism and innovation. As the Dutch said while fighting the Spanish: "It is not necessary to have hope in order to persevere."
A proper consolidation of a critical view must, of necessity, be idiosyncratic and, hence, not suitable for lecture based presentation.
It depends on how you lecture, mine were pretty "idiosyncratic", very interactive and I constantly showed students examples of rival views of issues in the media, and related them to the ideologies and general history behind them and then encouraged them to argue. It seems to have worked for a lot of students:
The course and it's future students will be the poorer for your loss. But as Socrates said: "The unexamined life is not worth living." Keep up the good work making people think for themselves... http://homepage.mac.com/tedwelch/xaro-03/feedback.html
The course and it's future students will be the poorer for your loss. But as Socrates said: "The unexamined life is not worth living."
Keep up the good work making people think for themselves...
http://homepage.mac.com/tedwelch/xaro-03/feedback.html
You did a lot for CMP which many people will never forget. I'd like to thank you for something you once said (its not a quote, i didnt make that detailed notes), you asked us all to question the things that usually we just go along with, to go out there and find the answers for ourselves and not take someone's opinion as a truth. For this i thank you.
I refused to keep within the usual academic boundaries (easier with a new and broad subject like the media) and ranged very widely, encouraging students to do so too and not be afraid to question the views of experts in various fields. One guy, who had wanted to make SF films when he started the course, became interested in the political issues we discussed and went on to do an MA in politics and a Ph D in Soviet economics ! :-)
You may think this a long way from film, but only after attending your lectures could someone with no knowledge whatsoeverof the history of mathematics think they could write a book on this subject. Surely that is a great achievement!
From a review:
Barnett's new book provides much objective information about Russian economic thinking during its most flourishing historical period and valuable insights into the nature of the interlacing ideas and contending views of Russian economists. Putting a new perspective on the history of Russian economic ideas may contribute to the multi-national study of the history of economic thought. It is a welcome addition to the scarce English-language literature. http://eh.net/bookreviews/library/1185
Barnett's new book provides much objective information about Russian economic thinking during its most flourishing historical period and valuable insights into the nature of the interlacing ideas and contending views of Russian economists. Putting a new perspective on the history of Russian economic ideas may contribute to the multi-national study of the history of economic thought. It is a welcome addition to the scarce English-language literature.
http://eh.net/bookreviews/library/1185
Many professors blanch at the idea of serving as department chairman, an often thankless task requiring fierce lobbying of school administrators for resources and deft ego massage of faculty members. "You've got 50 prima donnas and no stick to hit them with, so you just try to persuade them and hope they fall in line," said Gene M. Grossman, a Princeton economist and former chairman of the department. Many professors blanch at the idea of serving as department chairman, an often thankless task requiring fierce lobbying of school administrators for resources and deft ego massage of faculty members. "You've got 50 prima donnas and no stick to hit them with, so you just try to persuade them and hope they fall in line," said Gene M. Grossman, a Princeton economist and former chairman of the department. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111401544_pf.html
Many professors blanch at the idea of serving as department chairman, an often thankless task requiring fierce lobbying of school administrators for resources and deft ego massage of faculty members. "You've got 50 prima donnas and no stick to hit them with, so you just try to persuade them and hope they fall in line," said Gene M. Grossman, a Princeton economist and former chairman of the department.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/14/AR2005111401544_pf.html
And at Princeton Krugman replaced Bernanke as chairman of department. Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner - that I moved to Nice.
