What a joke..seminar on Political Theory

[geeslaka]

So, you gave a speech, with no opinion on anything and no suggestions of what to do. Sounds like a course in not saying anything that might come back to bite you.

[rah]

Originally posted by geeslaka
So, you gave a speech, with no opinion on anything and no suggestions of what to do. Sounds like a course in not saying anything that might come back to bite you.

Exactly.
It was a full semester course.
A very practical class. Quite useful for real life.
If some want to call it bull********, I would have to agree up to a certain point.
And yes, it is a necessary skill for the corporate world.

[DrSpike]

So the best defence of political science degrees offered here is that they enable you to bull****? Hardly a ringing endorsement.

[Japher]

Hardly a ringing endorsement.

Yeah, you can learn that a Toastmaster or by lying to your wife... Hardly something you need a class or degree for (unless your going into politics)

[Imran Siddiqui]

Yes, but can you learn how to lie to your wife successfully .

PolySci also helps you open your eyes and learn about the world, which especially in the US, is something you don't get in other fields too much .

I'm a proud of my PolySci degree (it was much more fun than getting my Econ degree anyway )

[Japher]

PolySci also helps you open your eyes and learn about the world

Doesn't mean you won't. I am very informed on the issues of the world, at least for an engineer. How many poly sci degree holders know anything about engineering, or what it really even is? (Not an attack at rah I am sure he knows)... Ignorance is prevelant in every field of study, that's why I leave the politicing to the politicers...

[Myrddin]

But would an InterPol student make any sense of an economics seminar?

[rah]

Most liberal arts and science degrees are bull****.
But as Imran says, it's a broad based fluff education that will provide many benefits. I'm proud of my degree also. If nothing else, it provideds you inane conversation material for all the boring social gathering that the business world makes you suffer. Having at least general knowledge of the arts makes you appear a bit more sophisticated. And I will admit that at least with poli sci you get a much wider world view than a narrow US focused view. (agreement with Imran)

Yes every degree has weaknesses, but a technical minor and a general major(or the other way around) has worked out quite well for me. My success is due to both, not just the technical aspects.

RAH
And I took a few economic courses so I'm not totally ignorant in that area.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by rah
Most liberal arts and science degrees are bull****.

[rah]

Since I have one that I considered that, I think I can say that without insulting too many people. Most of those that have them will agree with me.

[MrFun]

Originally posted by rah
Since I have one that I considered that, I think I can say that without insulting too many people. Most of those that have them will agree with me.

They simply show the face of agreeing with you because you have dictatorial powers that go with being a moderator.

[Japher]

rah, I agree completely. The poly sci or liberal arts route is a good route to get a well rounded degree. What I find strange, is that most of these people will then consider themselves a Renn-man, when they really aren't... Science (natural science) should play apart as well, and in most case people are more inclined to independently study liberal art or social science subjects than they are to ind. study hard science corric...

I think you did it right by mixing them up as I have a minor in music and took the approach that school (undergrad at least) is a place to learn about everything, not just one thing intently...

[Imran Siddiqui]

And I will admit that at least with poli sci you get a much wider world view than a narrow US focused view.

At the minimum, I'd say. You can learn some really interesting stuff if you delve in deeper, such as theories on international relations (which will allow you to better under why certain states are doing things) and the intricacies of American politics (which will make you more intelligent in that field than like 90% of Americans ).

[MrFun]

Originally posted by Japher
rah, I agree completely. The poly sci or liberal arts route is a good route to get a well rounded degree.

But Rah said that most liberal arts degrees are worthless -- so how are you agreeing?

[Arnelos]

My degree is also in Political Science. My intent is to head on to a Master's program in Public Policy, but the undergrad work in PoliSci should be rather useful.

I concentrated on comparative politics, specifically the study of methods of political change (elections, coups, revolutions, the works!) and the study of political elites.

There is no doubt that this coursework will come in very useful for my future career. A few isolated things have already come in rather useful in my work on political campaigns (where I work right now).

As for the theory courses, I actually enjoyed them. Granted, they aren't terribly PRACTICAL and most of the instructors are at least somewhat naive about the applicability of pure theory to real world situations, but they're quite interesting. I find that the main problem with political theory, as a subject field, is that while an insistence upon intellectual consistency is sensible when discussing coherent philosophy and ideology, it is unadvisable in the real world, sometimes even dangerous. Public policy is probably better conducting by a well-meaning pragmatist than an ideologue, no matter how well-meaning, with an obsession for intellectual consistency. One might even argue that this is the reason that many attempts at "communism" have failed It works fine as an IDEA in someone's head, sure, but its application to real life is a great deal more difficult, one likely requiring far more compromising of intellectual consistency and ideological purity than any Marxist could comfortably stomach

But, then again, I've got a touch of Burkean conservativism in me, so you'd expect me to have a perspective somewhat like that