Somebody put this on Facebook, and it struck a chord. For years now I have been wondering whether university courses nowadays actually do teach people to think, or whether the purpose of higher education nowadays is simply to make people "competent" and accepting of whatever the dogma of the day might be -- or maybe just the pet theories of their teachers. One of my heroes is Carl Sagan, who famously bewailed the loss of "the ability to knowledgeably question" in the educated public.
From what I see of archaeology, and the manner in which biased and downright appalling research is published, accepted and then almost universally praised nowadays by people who should know better, I think maybe the old horse in the cartoon above has got it about right......
"Archaeology....and the manner in which biased..research...is...almost UNIVERSALLY praised...."
ReplyDeletethis for me back thinking about something I've repeated often on the Blog, namely,that UNIVERSITIES these days should be ashamed and disgusted with themselves!! Just consider the derivation of the word "University".
" Uni" implies ONE. One place of research and learning under ONE roof.
MPP, Josh Pollard and various others are working in Archaeology departments which themselves are under the overall, overarching arms of their University institutions. In my naivity, even though I am a Graduate of Durham, it seems I must be too gullible, as I always held the find belief that a University's individual departments would be in healthy dialogue with each other.
Alas, I seem to be under a delusuon. This does not happen properly and healthily. However much MPP and his like best loudly about how they have litened to academic Geologists in relation to Stonehenge and its bluestones, these celebrity archaeologists do NOT communicate properly with Geography departments and their specialist Geomorphologists, especially as regards those with experience of glaciated landscapes.
This is appaling.Rant over.
By the way, I reckon you could say that was just me, ranting on again, on my favourite HOBBY HORSE.....
ReplyDeleteA local farmer puts on sheepdog displays throughout the Summer for the tourists. After one display he was approached by an American visitor who complimented him on how clever his dog was. The farmer replied " thank-you, but yon dogs not clever, I trained him".
ReplyDelete"About turn on Farm Turne", Post written in September 2012. Loads of comments on this Post. I make my point about the 'UNI' in "University" implying 'one's as in 'unity'. Obviously a 'broken record'.
ReplyDeleteGarn Turne? Spellchecker trouble again?!!
ReplyDelete