6 ms·

Structural engineers produce bridges, even if they are arguably just a side produce. In the worst case academics only produce academics.

by Gupie 17y ago

mquander 17y ago
Academics also advance humanity's knowledge in their field through research and writing, so that others may stand on their shoulders and see further. Perhaps you don't believe that things like critical literary analysis are providing us any actual benefit, but I disagree and I'm sure that any humanities professor would disagree too.
- jjs 17y ago
  > Perhaps you don't believe that things like critical literary analysis are providing us any actual benefit, but I disagree and I'm sure that any humanities professor would disagree too. What they'll profess in public and what they'll admit "off the record" aren't always the same thing.
  - foldr 17y ago
    The same is true of scientists, though. I know plenty who will say disparaging things about the value of their own research "off the record."
    - jjs 17y ago
      I believe it. Scientists at least have the advantage that, even if they can't see any practical application of their research, other people can (and do!).
- RyanMcGreal 17y ago
  I'm sincerely curious to hear your case in defence of critical literary analysis.
  - foldr 17y ago
    Why would it need any defense? Are you seriously suggesting that no-one should be reading literature and analyzing it? It's been an important part of Western culture for a few thousand years. Seems like it would be a bit rash to give it up now.
    - nkurz 17y ago
      Despite the literal intepretation, you might be mistaken in assuming that "critical literary analysis" is the same as "reading literature and analyzing it". Instead, I think the phrase is being used here as a term of the art, referring to something closer to "postmodern critical theory". There are definitely those who wonder if this is useful. I too would be interested in hearing a defense.
      - foldr 17y ago
        Most of the people who whine about postmodern critical theory haven't even read any, so I'm not sure how to give a defense of work which people haven't read. I expect that most of it is rather low in quality, but most of the work done in every discipline is rather low in quality. And in any case, not all literary criticism in the academy is "postmodern" in the invidious sense. >Instead, I think the phrase ["critical literary analysis"] is being used here as a term of the art, There is no such term of art, as a quick google scholar search would tell you, so I see no reason not to interpret the OP literally.
        nkurz 17y ago
        I see no reason not to interpret the OP literally Well, luckily even a casual adherence to postmodernism gives you that right! But in my old fashioned manner, I still think intentionality counts for something, and I don't think the author intended to say that we should give up on reading. :) Most of the people who whine about postmodern critical theory haven't even read any I actually have read a fair bit, and periodically urge it on others, likely in the same way that some people turn their friends onto LSD. Much of it is junk, but some of it is gold. For example, Michel Foucault's "History of Sexuality Volume 1" and "Discipline and Punish" permanently changed the way I see the world around me. So when I said I'd like to see a defense, I meant only that -- that I'd enjoy it. And, of course, that John F. Kennedy was not a homosexual: http://www.info.ucl.ac.be/~pvr/decon.html http://www.info.ucl.ac.be/~pvr/decon.html
Agathos 17y ago
In the worst case, structural engineers don't produce bridges. I'm sure you could find some poor soul who spent a career drawing up proposals for bridges that were never built.
- btilly 17y ago
  I knew an architect whose job was designing buildings that never got built. He worked for a company that would buy residential land, he'd design a commercial building for that land, the company would take the plans to the local city council and get it rezoned, then the company would flip the newly rezoned land at a significant profit. I liked him, but not his job or employer.
rbanffy 17y ago
Well... The absolute worst case here is a structural engineer producing something that looks like a bridge for some time, then becomes a very dynamic and contorted structure of concrete, metal, automobiles and mostly dead primates.

Structural engineers produce bridges, even if they are arguably just a side produce. In the worst case academics only produce academics.

by Gupie 17y ago

Structural engineers produce bridges, even if they are arguably just a side produce. In the worst case academics only produce academics.

mquander 17y ago

Academics also advance humanity's knowledge in their field through research and writing, so that others may stand on their shoulders and see further. Perhaps you don't believe that things like critical literary analysis are providing us any actual benefit, but I disagree and I'm sure that any humanities professor would disagree too.

jjs 17y ago
> Perhaps you don't believe that things like critical literary analysis are providing us any actual benefit, but I disagree and I'm sure that any humanities professor would disagree too. What they'll profess in public and what they'll admit "off the record" aren't always the same thing.
- foldr 17y ago
  The same is true of scientists, though. I know plenty who will say disparaging things about the value of their own research "off the record."
  - jjs 17y ago
    I believe it. Scientists at least have the advantage that, even if they can't see any practical application of their research, other people can (and do!).
RyanMcGreal 17y ago
I'm sincerely curious to hear your case in defence of critical literary analysis.
- foldr 17y ago
  Why would it need any defense? Are you seriously suggesting that no-one should be reading literature and analyzing it? It's been an important part of Western culture for a few thousand years. Seems like it would be a bit rash to give it up now.
  - nkurz 17y ago
    Despite the literal intepretation, you might be mistaken in assuming that "critical literary analysis" is the same as "reading literature and analyzing it". Instead, I think the phrase is being used here as a term of the art, referring to something closer to "postmodern critical theory". There are definitely those who wonder if this is useful. I too would be interested in hearing a defense.
    - foldr 17y ago
      Most of the people who whine about postmodern critical theory haven't even read any, so I'm not sure how to give a defense of work which people haven't read. I expect that most of it is rather low in quality, but most of the work done in every discipline is rather low in quality. And in any case, not all literary criticism in the academy is "postmodern" in the invidious sense. >Instead, I think the phrase ["critical literary analysis"] is being used here as a term of the art, There is no such term of art, as a quick google scholar search would tell you, so I see no reason not to interpret the OP literally.
      - nkurz 17y ago
        I see no reason not to interpret the OP literally Well, luckily even a casual adherence to postmodernism gives you that right! But in my old fashioned manner, I still think intentionality counts for something, and I don't think the author intended to say that we should give up on reading. :) Most of the people who whine about postmodern critical theory haven't even read any I actually have read a fair bit, and periodically urge it on others, likely in the same way that some people turn their friends onto LSD. Much of it is junk, but some of it is gold. For example, Michel Foucault's "History of Sexuality Volume 1" and "Discipline and Punish" permanently changed the way I see the world around me. So when I said I'd like to see a defense, I meant only that -- that I'd enjoy it. And, of course, that John F. Kennedy was not a homosexual: http://www.info.ucl.ac.be/~pvr/decon.html http://www.info.ucl.ac.be/~pvr/decon.html

Agathos 17y ago

In the worst case, structural engineers don't produce bridges. I'm sure you could find some poor soul who spent a career drawing up proposals for bridges that were never built.

btilly 17y ago
I knew an architect whose job was designing buildings that never got built. He worked for a company that would buy residential land, he'd design a commercial building for that land, the company would take the plans to the local city council and get it rezoned, then the company would flip the newly rezoned land at a significant profit. I liked him, but not his job or employer.

rbanffy 17y ago

Well... The absolute worst case here is a structural engineer producing something that looks like a bridge for some time, then becomes a very dynamic and contorted structure of concrete, metal, automobiles and mostly dead primates.