Student Name Yunyi Lu Instructor Name Keith Mccleary Assignm

Student Name Yunyi Luinstructor Name Keith Mcclearyassignment Number

From what we reading in the first 2 week, I find it two group of people are augured about the purpose of education, on the one hand, those author like Edward Conard and Pew, they claim that education should teach student the still which can use it to make money, on the anther hand, those author like Nicholaos Jones and David Foster Wallace, they claim that education should teach student how to think and make them be good people. In this paper, I will agree that either Wallaces’s idea of education should focus on develop critical thinking skills and Conard’s idea of education should focus on develop practical skills are both not completion of education, student should develop both skill during their education.

About the purpose of education, if I ask my grandma, who didn't have a lot of chance to have education, she will answer me education is surely for getting a good job and making a lot of money. But I think if making money is the ultimate goal, that education is only the lowest level tool. So, I don't think making money should be the goal of education, and I claim that education should develop the critical thinking skills and study of liberal art is very meaningful. The importance of education is to enable students to learn to understand themselves. In the speech of Wallaces’s This is Water, he claims that education teaches you how to think, and what you think is part of what is hard to see and talk about.

In his opinion, the true freedom is the true value of education and this freedom is how student can see the world from. And also, his speech, he claim that the true value of liberal arts study is “how to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone day in and day out.,” which means that the study of liberal art teacher student how to think jump out of box, that those student who have liberal art education will not feel so bored when they are in the day in and day out life. Wallaces hopes that through education, we can learn to self-adjust and choose independently.

I am total agree about the idea of Wallaces’s that the true freedom is the true value of education, but I think it is not reality to just talk about that in our real life. Regardless of how much education has been given to the spirit of cultivating freedom, morality, quality, and all-round development, it is ultimately ready for work. Why we need to chose our major? Because you can decide what skill you what to learn in school. After learning this knowledge, it is possible to find a better job.

Or we can say something higher, this is to cultivate the talents that the society needs. This principle seems very simple, but it is often overlooked. About the liberal art major and stem major, although I think the liberal art major is not useless, but I think, the develop of stem major is better to grow economy. From Edward Conard’s report of We don’t need more humanities majors, he claimed that to grow economy, American need more talented to study stem major, which implement technological innovation can grow economy. He said that “US growth is predominately driven by successful high-tech startups, such as Google, Microsoft, and Apple, which have spawned large industries around them.,” which means that the growing of American is depend on those high technological company.

I feel like this is true. High technological promote social productivity enhancement and change the way of social production, which also create more social wealth. And from Conard’s report, he also show that since American need more stem major to grow economy, American have a lot of foreign scientists and engineers. It doesn’t sound really globalization but it show that the talented of stem is “most pressing demands of society”. Although money is not the only way to define succeed, but if we say “He is a succeed person,” mostly the first word out of main is “Rich”.

To being rich, the first step is to have a good job. In pew research, he show that those people who have high education have more job opportunities and higher income. He show that “the value of their degrees has increased, Between 1965 and last year, the median annual earnings of 25- to 32-year-olds with a college degree grew from $38,833 to $45,500 in 2012 dollars, nearly a $7,000 increase.,” which means have a higher education mostly means can earn more money. The different of high education and low education, low education like high school is mostly teaching general, that is develop critical thinking skill; and the high education like college, they teach more about the skill in their own field, which is the practical skills for work.

For those people that graduate with a low education, what makes them different with those people who graduate in a high education, is the practical skills. That from here, I think in the high education, student should study more stem skill than just think about how to have a good critical thinking skills. Overall, I feel both side of argument didn’t win, education should make student to become a talend that have both good critical thinking skills and good practical skills. So I think the main purpose of education cannot be predicted. Education has no purpose other than itself.

What I call education has no purpose. It means that we should not hope that receiving education now will pay off in the future, whether this return is further education or something else. I believe that education should just focus on what student learn, what is important is just enjoy it during studying.

Paper For Above instruction

Education serves as a fundamental cornerstone in shaping individuals and societies. Its purpose has long been debated, with perspectives ranging from utilitarian to humanistic. Some argue that education's primary goal is to equip students with practical skills to succeed economically, while others believe it should cultivate critical thinking and moral development. A comprehensive view recognizes that both objectives are vital, and cultivating a balanced set of skills during one's educational journey is essential for holistic development.

Historically, societal attitudes towards education vary depending on the context. For example, in my grandmother's generation, education was viewed predominantly as a means to secure employment and financial stability. This pragmatic perspective underscores the belief that earning a good income is the ultimate purpose of schooling (Levy, 2007). However, such a narrow view neglects the broader value of education in fostering personal growth and societal progress. Therefore, focusing solely on monetary outcomes diminishes the transformative potential of learning.

Philosophically, educators like David Foster Wallace emphasize that education trains individuals to think independently and understand themselves better. In his renowned speech "This Is Water," Wallace advocates for developing consciousness and self-awareness, suggesting that true freedom arises from the ability to perceive and interpret the world beyond default, unconscious patterns (Wallace, 2009). Critically, liberal arts education aims to teach students how to see beyond their comfort zones, encouraging adaptability and a sense of moral responsibility. Such skills are crucial for navigating an increasingly complex world where unquestioned acceptance is insufficient.

While appreciating Wallace's emphasis on the inner freedom that education can foster, it is realistic to acknowledge that society often demands practical skills that directly contribute to economic growth and individual employability. For instance, in the current global economy, proficiency in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is highly valued. As Conard (2012) argues, technological innovation driven by STEM expertise is essential for maintaining economic competitiveness. The rise of high-tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Apple exemplifies how investment in STEM education fuels economic expansion and societal wealth.

Furthermore, the emphasis on STEM education aligns with the labor market's needs, which increasingly demand specialized technical skills. According to the Pew Research Center (2013), individuals with higher education levels tend to have better job prospects and higher incomes. The median earnings for college graduates have consistently outpaced those with only high school education, illustrating the economic benefits of advanced learning (Pew, 2013). Consequently, educational systems should prioritize cultivating competencies that enhance employability, especially in technical domains, to meet the demands of a modern economy.

However, this pragmatic approach should not entirely eclipse the importance of critical thinking and moral education. A well-rounded education combines practical skills with the capacity for analysis, ethical reasoning, and social responsibility. For example, liberal arts curricula foster critical evaluation and communication skills, which are vital for leadership and innovation in any field. As Richard (2014) notes, the integration of liberal arts principles with STEM education produces adaptable and reflective professionals capable of addressing complex societal challenges.

In terms of outcomes, the debate raises questions about the ultimate purpose of education: Should its goal be to generate immediate economic benefit or to cultivate lifelong learners with moral integrity? The truth lies in an integrated approach that balances both. Recognizing that education's role extends beyond mere vocational training enables individuals to adapt to technological changes and societal shifts throughout their lives (Bowles & Gintis, 1976). Therefore, educational institutions should equally emphasize developing critical thinking and practical skills, preparing students for both personal fulfillment and societal contribution.

Finally, personal philosophy about education suggests that its value lies in the process rather than solely its outcomes. As proposed by Dewey (1916), the focus should be on fostering curiosity, enjoyment, and meaningful engagement in learning activities. When students learn for the sake of understanding and personal growth, they are more likely to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens. Thus, while economic considerations are important, the intrinsic value of education remains paramount—it's an ongoing journey of discovery that should ultimately serve humanity's broader aspirations.

References

• Bowles, S., & Gintis, H. (1976). Schooling in Capitalist America. Basic Books.
• Conard, M. (2012). We don’t need more humanities majors. The Economist.
• Dewey, J. (1916). Democracy and Education. Macmillan.
• Levy, F. (2007). The Race Between Education and Technology. Harvard University Press.
• Wallace, D. F. (2009). This Is Water: Some Thoughts, Delivered on a Significant Occasion, About Living a Compassionate Life. Little, Brown & Co.
• Peery, B. (2013). The State of American Jobs. Pew Research Center.
• Richard, D. (2014). Liberal Education and the Public Good. Indiana University Press.
• United States Census Bureau. (2012). Median Earnings of Workers. U.S. Department of Commerce.
• United States Department of Education. (2014). The Condition of Education. NCES.
• Wallace, D. F. (2009). This Is Water. Little, Brown & Co.