So here's my second question for President Obama: Is the career education that you praise going to aim to teach students how to cultivate their understanding of others? If it does not, it will not be preparing them well for democratic equality.
The Devil's Advocate Weighs In
Because Nussbaum's thesis is that democracy needs the humanities, the antithesis to her position is, "No, democracy does not need the humanities." In the spirit of playing the Devil's Advocate, I will now set forth a number of counterarguments to help kick off the national debate about Nussbaum's book.
(1) The humanities emerged in Athens. But the historical Jesus did not study in Athens. Therefore, Christians today do not need to study the humanities. Jerusalem does not need Athens, Nussbaum to the contrary notwithstanding.
(2) Apart from the American Revolution, the FEDERALIST PAPERS, and the U.S. Constitution, what other important achievements in history can the humanities claim to have played a significant role in? After all, the humanities did not save ancient Athens from being conquered by Alexander the Great. In addition, the humanities did not save early modern Europe from self-destructive wars, nor did the humanities prevent Germany from starting World War I and World War II. Besides, everyone knows that the Roman Republic gave way to the Roman Empire, so perhaps the time has come for the American Republic to give way to something new and different, instead of a nostalgic return to the humanities that played an important role in the American Founding.
(3) At one time, we had the Know-Nothing Movement in the United States. Perhaps the time has come for us to resurrect the Know-Nothing Movement, Nussbaum to the contrary notwithstanding.
(4) The humanities emerged historically in Western culture. But the United States today finds itself in an economically global marketplace. Therefore, the United States should shuck off the humanities and get on with economic globalization. We can have economic globalization without the humanities.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
