4 ms·

I think it is a bit too narrow to see academia as purely industry preparation. There are a number of educational tasks academia also carries out, furthermore, t

I think it is a bit too narrow to see academia as purely industry preparation. There are a number of educational tasks academia also carries out, furthermore, there is the entire reasearch area. On the contrary, My masters in computer science from Denmark has really helped me professionally. But I had exposure to engineering aside my studies throughout all the years.

flanked-evergl 4y ago
> I think it is a bit too narrow to see academia as purely industry preparation. I agree, but to me that is somewhat the main problem. The most important thing that my tax money should be funding is industry preparation, but if you conflate that with other functions, everything gets muddled. Most of our education resources (>95%) should be exlusively for industry preparation. If we do it well, then remaining 5% will become higher.
- madsbuch 4y ago
  I disagree with that sentiment. In my opinion, tax money should mostly go towards building a prosperous society, whatever that means. But some things I see as being highly important: 1. Education in active participation in a democracy 2. Education to be able to take care of their physical and mental health 3. Education to be able to be empathetic towards their peers. 4. Education to create jobs rather than inhabit them I don't see it as a error per se, that a lot of people in Denmark (My country of origin) do a masters degree in-order to take a normal subsistence job afterwards. My own hopes for the future is that education does not take 5-6 years and is something that is only done in ones 20s but is something that is a lifelong companion and helps a person accelerate their careers, also later in life.
  - flanked-evergl 4y ago
    >But some things I see as being highly important: > > 1. Education in active participation in a democracy 2. Education to be able to take care of their physical and mental health 3. Education to be able to be empathetic towards their peers. 4. Education to create jobs rather than inhabit them Some of these things, or some aspects of these things, are quite heavily prescriptive, i.e. values that you think people ought to have as opposed to descriptive, i.e. facts people ought to know. And I don't think education ought to, or can meaningfully, instill values in people that is different from the society they inhabit. And to the extent that these things are not prescriptive, but descriptive (i.e. how to take care of your own physical health), it really should be done before university, and way before post graduate education. > I don't see it as a error per se, that a lot of people in Denmark (My country of origin) do a masters degree in-order to take a normal subsistence job afterwards. If a masters degree implies 5-6 years, which I think it does for engineering, then I do see a problem with it, because it is not free. Also from what I understand people do past the 1st year of higher education it really has little relation to any of the things you list. So even if it was the purpose of having people spend 5-6 years at university, I don't see it working out.
    - madsbuch 4y ago
      Having taken a masters myself has helped med tremendously on all of the aspects: 1. I know a thing or two about computing etc. and how we should apply that on a societal level from my masters in computer science. I use that to engage in the discussion. Someone else has studies science of religion and can chip in with insights there. 2. Having an advanced degree has taught me a thing or too about reading and understanding research and critical thinking, which has helped me understand the extremely scattered market for health advice. 3. Having lived large parts of my adult life on a sub subsistence level has helped me be empathetic towards poverty etc. 4. Having an advanced degree helps you assess new projects and ventures that might be worth pursuing entrepreneurially.
      - flanked-evergl 4y ago
        > 3. Having lived large parts of my adult life on a sub subsistence level has helped me be empathetic towards poverty etc. It is unclear how having enough enough resources so that you could not produce anything for 6 years makes it easier for you to understand poverty than people who never had such privilege. I'm sure any person actually in poverty would much rather do nothing productive for 6 years while still having a roof over their heads, a dry place to sleep and food to eat. I think if being empathetic towards poverty is something that is important to it may be better obtained by just sending people to an impoverished place with no resources, social support structures or accommodation for a week.

flanked-evergl 4y ago

> I think it is a bit too narrow to see academia as purely industry preparation. I agree, but to me that is somewhat the main problem. The most important thing that my tax money should be funding is industry preparation, but if you conflate that with other functions, everything gets muddled. Most of our education resources (>95%) should be exlusively for industry preparation. If we do it well, then remaining 5% will become higher.

madsbuch 4y ago
I disagree with that sentiment. In my opinion, tax money should mostly go towards building a prosperous society, whatever that means. But some things I see as being highly important: 1. Education in active participation in a democracy 2. Education to be able to take care of their physical and mental health 3. Education to be able to be empathetic towards their peers. 4. Education to create jobs rather than inhabit them I don't see it as a error per se, that a lot of people in Denmark (My country of origin) do a masters degree in-order to take a normal subsistence job afterwards. My own hopes for the future is that education does not take 5-6 years and is something that is only done in ones 20s but is something that is a lifelong companion and helps a person accelerate their careers, also later in life.
- flanked-evergl 4y ago
  >But some things I see as being highly important: > > 1. Education in active participation in a democracy 2. Education to be able to take care of their physical and mental health 3. Education to be able to be empathetic towards their peers. 4. Education to create jobs rather than inhabit them Some of these things, or some aspects of these things, are quite heavily prescriptive, i.e. values that you think people ought to have as opposed to descriptive, i.e. facts people ought to know. And I don't think education ought to, or can meaningfully, instill values in people that is different from the society they inhabit. And to the extent that these things are not prescriptive, but descriptive (i.e. how to take care of your own physical health), it really should be done before university, and way before post graduate education. > I don't see it as a error per se, that a lot of people in Denmark (My country of origin) do a masters degree in-order to take a normal subsistence job afterwards. If a masters degree implies 5-6 years, which I think it does for engineering, then I do see a problem with it, because it is not free. Also from what I understand people do past the 1st year of higher education it really has little relation to any of the things you list. So even if it was the purpose of having people spend 5-6 years at university, I don't see it working out.
  - madsbuch 4y ago
    Having taken a masters myself has helped med tremendously on all of the aspects: 1. I know a thing or two about computing etc. and how we should apply that on a societal level from my masters in computer science. I use that to engage in the discussion. Someone else has studies science of religion and can chip in with insights there. 2. Having an advanced degree has taught me a thing or too about reading and understanding research and critical thinking, which has helped me understand the extremely scattered market for health advice. 3. Having lived large parts of my adult life on a sub subsistence level has helped me be empathetic towards poverty etc. 4. Having an advanced degree helps you assess new projects and ventures that might be worth pursuing entrepreneurially.
    - flanked-evergl 4y ago
      > 3. Having lived large parts of my adult life on a sub subsistence level has helped me be empathetic towards poverty etc. It is unclear how having enough enough resources so that you could not produce anything for 6 years makes it easier for you to understand poverty than people who never had such privilege. I'm sure any person actually in poverty would much rather do nothing productive for 6 years while still having a roof over their heads, a dry place to sleep and food to eat. I think if being empathetic towards poverty is something that is important to it may be better obtained by just sending people to an impoverished place with no resources, social support structures or accommodation for a week.