Student at Harvard markets our philosophy

confidentialcoll
Mon, 01 Jun 2009 03:07:08 +0000

You can’t really say he’s marketing “your” philosophy. Sure, he could have got the inspiration from Columbia’s Core Curriculum, or he might just be throwing back to the idea of the Harvard Classics.



The philosophy behind the core is pretty broad and hotly debated. When we argue for the core we are partially arguing that the core at U Chicago (for example) adds much value to their students and institution. So yes this is kid is not advocating for Columbia, but he argues for a core which fundamentally shares the same idea as Columbia’s.



I have discovered that by the time I reached college, I knew the so-called western canon very well. I was, however, largely unfamiliar Middle Eastern and Asian literature. Another student may have been in exactly the opposite situation. Students have different needs and their choices of colleges and classes reflect those needs



Firstly, you are in a small minority, most kids take easy classes to fulfill requirements. Either because they think it’ll be fun, or because their friends are taking it or because they want to waste less time on it or to boost gpa. This is not specifically at Harvard but the mentality for most everywhere.

Secondly the value of the core at Columbia at least, is not just in knowing the western canon but, in two semesters, seeing how each text [or even art work] was influenced by the ones before it and influences in the ones after it. Showing us where the reasons and thought process behind our laws, politics, economics, ethics, social interactions, showing us what ideas we’ve abandoned in favor of which we have today. Also everyone is educated this way so there is a common conscience on campus and everyone has a solid foundation when they decide to engage in a heated debate about any of the above.