The Opening of the American Mind By Lawrence W. Levine My rating: 4 of 5 stars I actually liked this book more than I thought although I am left with many questions. It was written in the mid '90s in response to the spate of books attacking developments in the university world, Allan Bloom's The Closing of the American Mind foremost among these and the obvious inspiration of the title. Truth is, this is a far more readable argument than Bloom's. Levine contends that in fact the “canon” of subjects and … [Read more...] about Book Review: The Opening of the American Mind
multiculturalism
Three Blind Spots in Education’s End
Last week, I shared my appreciation for Anthony Kronman's critique of higher education and defense of the humanities, Education's End: Why Our Colleges and Universities Have Given Up on the Meaning of Life. This week, I'd like to examine a few of Kronman's blind spots. Next week, I'll take a look at how Kronman treats religion in his discussions of education and the meaning of life. The first two blind spots, in my view, don't necessarily undermine Kronman's central argument, but the book could have been much … [Read more...] about Three Blind Spots in Education’s End
Outrageous Idea 2: Arguments for Silence
In chapter 2 of The Outrageous Idea of Christian Scholarship, George Marsden examines three "arguments for silence" common in the university for why Christians should keep their faith out of their academic work: The argument of "science vs. religion" The argument of multiculturalism and diversity The separation of church and state In case, Marsden summarizes the basic argument, then provides counter-arguments in favor of Christian scholars being open about their faith. I'll summarize chapter 2 below, but … [Read more...] about Outrageous Idea 2: Arguments for Silence