Thursday, July 30, 2015

What is 'In Practice'? 実用とは何か

国 立大学の文系廃止が議論されている。つまり「実用」ばかりが要求されるのだが、「実用」とは一体誰が決めるのか。ベンジャミン・フランクリンが生きた18 世紀では、「電気」は「無用の長物」だった。経済の論理で考えても、人の育成や技術開発には不確実性が伴い、政府機関が投資をし、不確実性を分散すること が望ましい。文系廃止は全く理解不能な愚策である。

Government is now trying to prevent human and social science, which they see as "white elephant", from being taught at national universities. Who on earth decides which science is of use? In the 18th century when Benjamin Franklin was alive, electricity was at least of no use. From the viewpoint of economics, there's always huge uncertainty in educating students and developing new technologies, and thus it would be better for government to fund these activities and to help to break up such uncertainty. Human and social science sounds like they are of no use, but it is also clear that no one knows whether it is useless.

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