Education

[Zehahaha]

So hey guys.

I'm a second year student a good business school, and lately I've been having a lot of reflexions about the whole educational system on the world.

In ancient times, education wasn't really necessary, the people who trying to study or to be more precise, trying to gain knowledge, did it only because they want to. There was even people who were travelling far away to get knowledge, that shows that they want to learn, they do it because they like it.

Today, you HAVE to study, it is an obligation, you don't have the choice. Well, I don't object to that, but somehow, I think we're making children hating EDUCATION. I'm pretty sure, that the majority of students now, keep studying just to have enough diplomas to have a decent life.

Also, I've remarked that education lacks something really important, more important than even language : Ethics. School makes you learn about Maths, Physics, Biology... But not Ethics. A man without Ethics, is not a man no matter how much you're brilliant in Maths or any other field. You can be genius, but if you still steal and do shit, then you've learned nothing.


I think that somehow, we lost track of what education is supposed to be, it is supposed to make a human being.

Do you think Ethics should be a priority over all the other subjects in schools ?

That's the first thing.

Second thing, I'm studying economic theories, Statistics, Probability... And seriously, I'm asking myself a question : Will I ever use all this " stuff " in my professional life ? I mean, why the hell I'm studying mathematics, while when I'm gonna work, it won't do me good.

I'm talking especially about business schools (not mentioning Medicine or anything else), because 90% of the stuff I'm studying is a PURE THEORY. There's nothing practical.

Medicine for example, they have theory but most of all, it's about practice. Same about agricultural institutes...

Do you think, that quantitative science (to be more precise, mathematics) should stay away from economics ?

[Jorge D. Dragon]

I would say that now education vecame totally different from what it actually was before. The difference is that in different countries now the purpose of education is also different. For example in Western Europe and US education is more practical, while in my country for example it's more theoretical and broad (I would even dare to say more classical). The thing is that also now in my country we have a problem that for the majority of the population education became not the option to get some knowledge or better job, but mostly the option for not to go to Russian Army Forces and that is a problem.
Also, I wouldn't say that in modern world you have to study. Of course it depends on the country, but still in most of the countries you can have Bachelors degree and then have a good work. At least quite decent to have a rather good life. Of course those who get Masters or Ph.D have way more possibilities to obtain better job or job in which you get better salary, but it's up to a person to decide what he or she wants from his life (if he wants to have more independence and free time, but not get that much money or if he or she wants more money, but less free time).

About Ethics... I wouldn't say that it has to have priority over other subjects in school or universities, but I would say that for me when a person goes to university he or she should not only become a good specialist, but it should also form him in a propper person to live in society. And of course the higher degree person gets more he or she needs to learn the same Ethics and Phylosofy.

About having tons of theoretical subjects... I can understand you. Russian system is based on broad theory in all fields of sciences, thus we have to learn tons of theoretical subjects in school and university. Especailly when we go to university during the first grade we have tons of theoretical subjects and even plenty that aren't absolutely related to our speciality and of course aren't absolutely related to our future work. The thing is that Bachelors is mostly a basis for a student and specialist in his or her profesional field. If a person wants to get deeper in understanding of his profesion whatever it is he needs to get to work and get actual working experience and also if a person really needs it he or she can go to Masters. There you can get deeper insight on your profesion, broaden your knowledge or get good speciality.
Also we have a good proverb. Don't know if it can be clearly translated in other laguages, but I think every country has something like this. - When we graduate from school and get to university we are told: "Forget everything you've studied before! Now it's a different world", then when we graduate out of university and start working we are told: "Forget everything you've studied before! Now it's a different world"
So of course there will be always a problem how to make a perfect balance between the "classical theoretical" education and practical education. I think in some way it also depends on us, because we are those who need to understand what we want to know and what we want to learn. Now we have different ways to get information in order to stydy. We can learn from different books or just internet and not only in school or university.

P.S. About Maths and Economics... they are very related. Actually on practice you will understand that it's very useful to know maths in different fields of Economics, because most of Laws of Modern economy are based on several mathematical formulas. Also if you study in buisness school I think they should explain for what purposs they teach you different thins, because normally buisness schools are normally mostly practical education. As an example I would say that maths is related to making buisness plan, making accountant statistics and info in order to present it to future investors or different government bodies and institutions depending on different systems.

P.P.S. That's a very really interesting topic to discuss.