(p. A25) Senator Marco Rubio sent fact-checkers aflutter when he said at the Republican presidential debate on Tuesday that philosophy majors would be better off going into welding. The value of a vocational degree, he argued, was greater than the payoff that comes with contemplating the cosmos.
“Welders make more money than philosophers,” Mr. Rubio said. “We need more welders and less philosophers.”
. . .
On Wednesday [November 9, 2015] Mr. Rubio doubled down on his assertion, sending out a fund-raising email with the subject line “more welders” and calling for the overpriced higher education system to be dismantled.
The argument echoed one he makes frequently on the stump, which the senator admits probably irks some intellectuals: “You deserve to know that the market for Greek philosophers has tightened over the last 2,000 years.”
For the full story, see:
Alan Rappeport. “Philosophers Say View of Their Skills Is Dated.” The New York Times (Thurs., Nov. 12, 2015): A25.
(Note: ellipsis, and bracketed date, added. The last two quoted paragraphs were combined into one paragraph in the print version.)
(Note: the online version of the story has the date Nov. 11, 2015, and has the title “Philosophers (and Welders) React to Marco Rubio’s Debate Comments.”)
There are more than 2000 colleges in the USA offering tens of thousands of degrees/majors.
Oh yes, there are also a few thousand JC’s, trade schools and apprentice programs that train welders.
Who should decide what any individual student wants to study?? Senator Rubio, the Mercatus Center or the individual student??
And you call yourselves ‘freedom-loving Libertarians’ !!
There are more than 2000 colleges in the USA offering tens of thousands of degrees/majors.
Oh yes, there are also a few thousand JC’s, trade schools and apprentice programs that train welders.
Who should decide what any individual student wants to study?? Senator Rubio, the Mercatus Center or the individual student??
And you call yourselves ‘freedom-loving Libertarians’ !!