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Value is only quantifiable in the context of a purpose. Is a liberal arts degree valuable as an instrument to garner income? Statistically, no. Is it valuable a

Value is only quantifiable in the context of a purpose. Is a liberal arts degree valuable as an instrument to garner income? Statistically, no. Is it valuable as a set of experiences which help to better understand the world we live in? Absolutely. But does that make it valuable enough to justify the cost? I dunno. Ask Ken Ilgunas.

tnorthcutt 13y ago
How can you say for sure it has the second type of value?
- benjamincburns 13y ago
  > I dunno. Ask Ken Ilgunas. Or to be a bit less of a dick, I think this is a cross between the ancient philosophical question, "how does one know anything to be true?" and the cliché, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It only holds this kind of value to an individual if the individual thinks it does. [Edit: And just to avoid the bigger philosophical question let's just say that the individual is or isn't confident that it holds this value, not that they know that it does or doesn't. ;-)] Either way, there's always the risk that you aren't getting what you pay for.
mahyarm 13y ago
Is that secondary value best given by a college experience or finding it yourself then?
- benjamincburns 13y ago
  That's an optimization problem. As such it doesn't really fit the context of what I was trying to say. To put my point differently, this is an example of a market which trades extrinsic value for intrinsic value. Sure, some mechanisms are certainly better than others for this purpose, but as is the nature of intrinsic value, "better" can only be defined on a very individual basis.
lern_too_spel 13y ago
Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself? Networking in his field is of little or no value.
lern_too_spel 13y ago
Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself for free? Networking in his field is of little or no value.
lern_too_spel 13y ago
Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself for free? Networking in his field is of little or no value.
pyoung 13y ago
Well, considering he is now a published author, with a second book on the way, maybe there was some monetary value form that degree after all? Of course this isn't the case for the vast majority of liberal arts graduates.
- benjamincburns 13y ago
  Sure. And he's a very determined individual. I mean, did you hear about the time he lived in a van to keep grad school financially within his reach? The statistics definitely don't play out in a vacuum... His kind of determinism holds far more bearing on his successes (financial or otherwise) than any degree (liberal arts or otherwise) ever could alone. Also, don't ever forget the power of defining your own terms for success. I mean, it's pretty hard to fail when you're successful by definition. Although sadly it's nowhere near as easy to do as it sounds...

tnorthcutt 13y ago

How can you say for sure it has the second type of value?

benjamincburns 13y ago
> I dunno. Ask Ken Ilgunas. Or to be a bit less of a dick, I think this is a cross between the ancient philosophical question, "how does one know anything to be true?" and the cliché, "beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It only holds this kind of value to an individual if the individual thinks it does. [Edit: And just to avoid the bigger philosophical question let's just say that the individual is or isn't confident that it holds this value, not that they know that it does or doesn't. ;-)] Either way, there's always the risk that you aren't getting what you pay for.

mahyarm 13y ago

Is that secondary value best given by a college experience or finding it yourself then?

benjamincburns 13y ago
That's an optimization problem. As such it doesn't really fit the context of what I was trying to say. To put my point differently, this is an example of a market which trades extrinsic value for intrinsic value. Sure, some mechanisms are certainly better than others for this purpose, but as is the nature of intrinsic value, "better" can only be defined on a very individual basis.

lern_too_spel 13y ago

Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself? Networking in his field is of little or no value.

lern_too_spel 13y ago

Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself for free? Networking in his field is of little or no value.

lern_too_spel 13y ago

Absolutely not. What did he learn that was worth $32k to him that he couldn't have learned at a cheaper school or by himself for free? Networking in his field is of little or no value.

pyoung 13y ago

Well, considering he is now a published author, with a second book on the way, maybe there was some monetary value form that degree after all? Of course this isn't the case for the vast majority of liberal arts graduates.

benjamincburns 13y ago
Sure. And he's a very determined individual. I mean, did you hear about the time he lived in a van to keep grad school financially within his reach? The statistics definitely don't play out in a vacuum... His kind of determinism holds far more bearing on his successes (financial or otherwise) than any degree (liberal arts or otherwise) ever could alone. Also, don't ever forget the power of defining your own terms for success. I mean, it's pretty hard to fail when you're successful by definition. Although sadly it's nowhere near as easy to do as it sounds...