Where have all the science students gone?

[Aelia Jusa]

Originally posted by DeSoya: some of the "soft sciences" such as Psychology (You know, the classes whose books always take the first chapter to convince you that they are indeed a science ).

This is a really ignorant thing to say. The reason they have to convince people that psychology is a science is because of the misconceptions of people like you who don't understand what it is and how it is studied .

Though I do agree that universities are becoming much more about getting a degree for a career rather than getting an education. I study both classics and philosophy, and the amount of funding those departments get compared to other more vocational departments is very unfair. People are always saying to me when I say I study philosophy, what's that going to do for you? Ie in my future career. The sad thing is when you do study philosophy the lecturers often feel the need to explain how the skills of making arguments and critical examination will help in getting a job - universities seem more and more to be about getting people out in the workforce with marketable skills than getting an education.

I also agree about the calculus! I did some pure maths courses in first year - I was pretty ordinary at them but they were extremely interesting. And it does help to have a good lecturer - we had one who was just enraptured by maths. It was a joy to learn from him [img]smile.gif[/img]

[DeSoya]

This is a really ignorant thing to say. The reason they have to convince people that psychology is a science is because of the misconceptions of people like you who don't understand what it is and how it is studied

I guess I wouldn't have a problem with them being called a science if they a) studied something that had could be quantified within certain perameters, b) didn't have to justify their existence or their attempt to adhere to the scientific method.

A preacher should practice what they preach. Don't be so quick to judge me. I have taken a few psych and socy classes. I know what they are like. I've experienced their methodolgy first hand. I'm also human and I know that we are more irrational than a virtual partical. The justification that science is no more than the scientific method seems silly to me. That's what happens to be in every introduction to a psych or socy book. Something along the lines of "We're cool and scientific because we first form a hypothesis and then test it. Just like physics or biology..." Given this, I tend to discount these things. It's more of a hand wavey attitude thing. They can be sciences for all I care. It's no skin off of my nose. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I agree with you about the profession driven thing. People are always saying to me, "Well what are you going to do with your math degree" or "I have a degree in _______. I just don't know what I'm going to do for a job." Who really cares. You'll find something to do. Even if you are a computer person you probably won't find a job doing programing. It's money that's got people worried. Good on ya for getting a classics degree. It's damned important that someone knows that useless stuff. It's all greek to me. Timeo Danaos et Dona Ferentes, ya know. [img]smile.gif[/img]

DeSoya

[ 06-11-2002, 12:46 AM: Message edited by: DeSoya ]