Why Teach a Language Properly? Education seems to be evaporating from the face of the earth. Even in America, Japan, and to the lesser extent in Europe. Twenty year olds cannot write a sentence that has any intellectual merit. Perhaps the problem is not with inherent ability but with the value system. Whats the use of literature? Whats the use of philosophy? Whats the use of language?

To many, perhaps most, in todays world, none. There is no use of literature, philosophy, and language. Ofcourse there is no use of these things. But you don`t learn these things for a use. It is very difficult to make government policy encouraging useless things in a society. It is not economically feasible.

Once you have good education; you can read books, learn for yourself, create new ideas and share them with others.

Muslim Leadership: An Oxymoron? Re: # 5

I agree too.

The Impact of the Greek Philosophers on Modern Education Your artical is informative. Philosophy until recently had a central place in higher education. But now we hardly find any philosophy undergraduates. I took a few courses in mathematical logic and applied ethics, and was amazed by the sophistication of the subject. Studying philosopy is a great exercise in meta-theoratic thinking and argument. To me, that is true education. If you are not continously characterizing what you are learning, then there is no difference between a chimp and you.

Epistemology was a subject that also facinated people in India. Way before the Greeks I guess. Here is how you learn the Indian way; close your eyes, breath deeply, and think.

I read philosophy texts all the time for my work; yours is exceptional. It is not easy to write about philosophy clearly. Even the great philosophers fail at it. For example, Kant.

Congradulations.

Reforms! What Reforms? Re: # 20

It is the general trend in modern academics that is disturbing. Many individuals do produce original work. But you must agree that the vast majority of people in sub-continent do not give scientific work the respect that it deserves. It is not just a matter of ``grands`` that one makes and the ``millions`` in funding that one wins.

Since WWII universities all over the wolrd have gone through a process of democratization. Anyone with a high school diploma and a credit card can land in a university. IIT is atleast fair in this sense.

I remember that there were seven huge libraries in my university. And students did not have time or motivation even to open the text books. Then there were grades for class attendence and so on. Forced intellectual labor. What`s the point.

Only by raising the intellectual bar can we maintain the prestige of higher learning. Everyone should have access to university. The sophistication of the course work should make the cruisers run away.

Entrance exams do prepare people in some way as they have to study for them. But a computer can be programmed to do them as well. The power of characterization is the true merit for university. We cannot capture it in GRE or SAT.

There should be no watered down course work. The first year of university should be like a grad course. If people need preparation, then they should spend more time studying by themselves or in high school. Universities cannot offord to bend down to serve the high school role.

Reforms! What Reforms? Professor Hoodbhoy your artical was an eyeopener. My dad wants me to do my grad school in mathematics in Pakistan. I will make him read your artical. I must share with you that your university disqualifies me for the masters program since I have a four year degree, and they only require a two year degree. This is funny. I was educated by mathematicians from all over the world at Arizona State University.

Even in USA a lot of bogus Phd.s are produced. Specially in computer science and engineering. I have seen many masters thesis being prepared. Basically you download them from the internet. Then you use powerpoint. Thats all. Pakistani, Indian, and chinese are more prone to do such things because they are using education as a flying carpet for social mobility. They pursue the grand theme and dream of the Indian subcontinent, ``Rajoo ban giya gentleman``.

Once upon a time universities were places of reverence and endeavor. Every reasonable scientist was half philosopher. Even high school students read literary unabridged works in two or three languages. The more academically inclined would read Homer.

Now a seventh grader start preparing for enterance exams. Someone wants to get in IIT, someone has to get in GIK, and others to Harvard or Oxford. Students take up hobbies since they look good in the admission application.

We are producing Seabiscuits not academics.