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University offers 'Simpsons' as Philosophy Class
joestump98 writes "I ran accross a story at CNN that says a local Michigan college, Siena Heights, is offering a philosophy class on our favorite cartoon - The Simpsons. The Catholic school says the class is about religion and philosphy in popular culture." And I thought Rocks for Jocks was a hilarious concept in wasting a college education. That said, I'd take that class. Have to make sure to watch my homework tonight.
I was going to just mod you down as troll. Then I read your sig. While I still think this is a troll, I'll bite:
In all likelyhood, they're the equivalent of the underwater soap-carving courses that engineering students take to "satisfy" the arts requirement component of their curriculum.
I'm assuming you haven't taken this class, and you likely don't know the class' content other than seeing "The Simpsons" in the title. After 4 years at a university, I can tell you that you never know what a class is going to be like until you take it.
In the story, who's speaking up about the course? A biology major -- a geek who is apparently too dim to recognize that a broad education is valuable, and has chosen to take a flakey course to satisfy a requisite with minimum effort.
Again, you have no idea if the course is "flakey", or the intentions of the student. And isn't taking a philosophy class broadening his education?
Why on earth are the universities catering to this sort of limited, lazy thinking?
If you think all education that incorperates aspects of popular culture (especially intelligent, witty aspects) are "limited" and "lazy", I hope you enjoy living in your ivory tower, cut off from the rest of the world.
The job of the university should be to create a graduation class of people who are going to lead the advancement of the arts and sciences. To do so, these people are going to require a broad education, one that has challenged them on all fronts and forced them to think creatively and thoughtfully. They need to be people who are eternally curious, doggedly determined, and, above all, brilliant.
Actually, my point in going to college was to learn new things. I got a broad education, and learned a lot. I think I'm a better person for having gone to college, though I don't think I was necessarly meant to "lead the advancement of the arts and sciences". Regardless, a class on The Simpsons and Philosophy hardly brings down the system.
Serving up Simpsons swill as some sort of philosophy substitute is not doing anyone a favour.
It's not meant as a substitute; the university education is varied when you look deeply at a specific major course of study and the classes involved. Just because the simpsons is newer than some of your classical philosophers doesn't mean it doesn't belong as part of a wider course. I doubt this class is replacing one on something more "important".
Perhaps the standards have dropped too low. Maybe you don't have to be particularly smart to enter university any more: you just have to have money.
Anymore? You never needed to be particularly smart at many schools (including some ivy league schools). Money could, and still does, buy your way in. Don't fool yourself into thinking this is something new.
Perhaps there's too much emphasis in the job market on post-secondary degrees.
True.
And the past three decade's emphasis on sciences as the be-all and end-all goal of education is certainly at fault: we need more technically-trained people (ie. college-level job training) than we need science/structure-trained people.
Now you're just making things up. The liberal arts education has gotten more flack in the last 30 years than anything else on the university level. A science education is still largely seen as a "true" education.
"The Simpsons and Philosophy: The D'oh! of Homer," indeed. Next up: "An Overview of Political Philosophies: The Travels of Xena, Warrior Princess."
When I was in college, I created and taught a class on "Star Trek and Popular Culuture" as my exit requirement. You know what? The educational foundation of the school didn't crumble. There's room for the inclusion of pop culture in a university education.