Comments on: To the Slow and Steady and Smartest Goes the Race http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/ The Sweet Release of Reason Sun, 21 Mar 2010 03:32:07 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Freddie http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578900 Freddie Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:24:35 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578900 PS One thing English majors have going for them: unlike your commenters, they understand the concept of irony. PS One thing English majors have going for them: unlike your commenters, they understand the concept of irony.

]]> By: Freddie http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578899 Freddie Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:23:15 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578899 I only ever pop in hear to remind you that not everyone believes that life is nothing more than the pursuit of capital, and that the end all, be all of human existence is accumulating wealth. So, mission accomplished. I only ever pop in hear to remind you that not everyone believes that life is nothing more than the pursuit of capital, and that the end all, be all of human existence is accumulating wealth.

So, mission accomplished.

]]> By: Some philosophy majors are getting jobs, as well as lots of intangible fringe benefits | Dangerous Intersection http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578807 Some philosophy majors are getting jobs, as well as lots of intangible fringe benefits | Dangerous Intersection Tue, 15 Apr 2008 04:13:42 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578807 [...] majors are not getting rich, but they’re able to buy enough food to allow them to sit around and ponder things.   Truth be told, philosophy majors are at the bottom of the list in starting salaries.  As [...] [...] majors are not getting rich, but they’re able to buy enough food to allow them to sit around and ponder things.   Truth be told, philosophy majors are at the bottom of the list in starting salaries.  As [...]

]]> By: TGGP http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578750 TGGP Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:30:15 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578750 Benjamin, I also incline to that point of view, but it seems to be based on a sort of Kantian universalibility standard. Thinking on the margin would seem to be more appropriate. My suspicion is that the marginal social gain from lawyers went past negative long ago. Benjamin, I also incline to that point of view, but it seems to be based on a sort of Kantian universalibility standard. Thinking on the margin would seem to be more appropriate. My suspicion is that the marginal social gain from lawyers went past negative long ago.

]]> By: Benjamin Munda http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578746 Benjamin Munda Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:52:57 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578746 I chose engineering (biochemical) for totally unrelated reasons. The primary reason is this: Some disciplines add to the sum total of society's wealth while other subtract. I'm not saying that everyone should be an engineer, farmer, or miner. A society with professions only such as these would be drab indeed. What I am saying is that it is important to note that many professions survive off of the wealth created by others. A society full of philosophers, artists, and lawyers would all be starving living in grass huts. Obviously, a society full of these professions would be far from ideal as well. I simply lament that many Americans hold a certain degree of contempt for the disciplines that create the surplus wealth which is a requisite for their leisurely professions. I chose engineering (biochemical) for totally unrelated reasons.

The primary reason is this: Some disciplines add to the sum total of society’s wealth while other subtract.

I’m not saying that everyone should be an engineer, farmer, or miner. A society with professions only such as these would be drab indeed.

What I am saying is that it is important to note that many professions survive off of the wealth created by others. A society full of philosophers, artists, and lawyers would all be starving living in grass huts. Obviously, a society full of these professions would be far from ideal as well.

I simply lament that many Americans hold a certain degree of contempt for the disciplines that create the surplus wealth which is a requisite for their leisurely professions.

]]> By: jen hutchin http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578734 jen hutchin Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:49:59 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578734 Looks like English majors are, as usual, off the chart. I should know; I work as a probation officer! Looks like English majors are, as usual, off the chart. I should know; I work as a probation officer!

]]> By: jen hutchin http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578733 jen hutchin Sun, 13 Apr 2008 17:49:44 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578733 Looks like English majors are, as usual off the chart. I should know; I work as a probation officer! Looks like English majors are, as usual off the chart. I should know; I work as a probation officer!

]]> By: TGGP http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578720 TGGP Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:12:26 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578720 <i>these philosophy majors will soon enough get their just financial desserts</i> Will, are you willing to bet that within five years philosophy majors will be outearning any of the top eight other majors? How about in a decade? Right now I suspect some self-deception/cognitive dissonance is causing your unrealistic projections. Disclosure: I'm a Computer Science major, and yeah, it's not really science and we shouldn't be allowed to get degrees from a College of Engineering. these philosophy majors will soon enough get their just financial desserts
Will, are you willing to bet that within five years philosophy majors will be outearning any of the top eight other majors? How about in a decade? Right now I suspect some self-deception/cognitive dissonance is causing your unrealistic projections.
Disclosure: I’m a Computer Science major, and yeah, it’s not really science and we shouldn’t be allowed to get degrees from a College of Engineering.

]]> By: Jack http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578632 Jack Fri, 11 Apr 2008 06:53:18 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578632 Those stats combine phil with religion... it seems to me that could screw these numbers up a bit (what I'm obviously suggesting is that the PHIL score is even higher). Those stats combine phil with religion… it seems to me that could screw these numbers up a bit (what I’m obviously suggesting is that the PHIL score is even higher).

]]> By: Phil http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578603 Phil Thu, 10 Apr 2008 17:56:56 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578603 "Philosophy majors frankly embarrass economics majors when it comes to the LSAT, I’m sorry to report." With the link you sent, "embarrass" might be a little strong (156 versus 155.3; plus, just to play around with the data, I'd like to see standard deviations and philosophy/religion breakdowns (although the sample size is large enough that I would guess the difference is significant)). And unfortunately, no one will be more aware of the crushing ennui of serving one's life as an indentured servant to a vengeful legal system than a philosophically-trained lawyer. P.S. With my economics major, I landed a 179, and the JD/PhD track can be quite lucrative. “Philosophy majors frankly embarrass economics majors when it comes to the LSAT, I’m sorry to report.”

With the link you sent, “embarrass” might be a little strong (156 versus 155.3; plus, just to play around with the data, I’d like to see standard deviations and philosophy/religion breakdowns (although the sample size is large enough that I would guess the difference is significant)). And unfortunately, no one will be more aware of the crushing ennui of serving one’s life as an indentured servant to a vengeful legal system than a philosophically-trained lawyer.

P.S. With my economics major, I landed a 179, and the JD/PhD track can be quite lucrative.

]]> By: glory http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578581 glory Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:53:12 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578581 philosophy apparently is back in vogue... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/education/06philosophy.html re: money like inigo montoya sez: you keep using that word. i do not think it means what you think it means... try hart: "The idea of money as a source of social memory was also crucial for John Locke, who figures prominently in our story as the philosopher who inaugurated the modern age of democratic revolutions. Locke was obsessed with money’s role both in establishing a progressive social order and in subverting it as its criminal antithesis. Indeed, he believed that money launched humanity from the state of nature onto the road to civil government. As long as men’s possessions were limited to perishable products, the scope for property was restricted. Money, by offering a durable store of value convertible against all useful things, unleashed the potential for property accumulation and for the intergenerational transmission of inequality. For Locke, then, money was indispensable to that development of cultural memory on which civilization depends." http://www.thememorybank.co.uk/book/ cf. http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/8/26/172939/637 philosophy apparently is back in vogue…
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/06/education/06philosophy.html

re: money

like inigo montoya sez: you keep using that word. i do not think it means what you think it means…

try hart: “The idea of money as a source of social memory was also crucial for John Locke, who figures prominently in our story as the philosopher who inaugurated the modern age of democratic revolutions. Locke was obsessed with money’s role both in establishing a progressive social order and in subverting it as its criminal antithesis. Indeed, he believed that money launched humanity from the state of nature onto the road to civil government. As long as men’s possessions were limited to perishable products, the scope for property was restricted. Money, by offering a durable store of value convertible against all useful things, unleashed the potential for property accumulation and for the intergenerational transmission of inequality. For Locke, then, money was indispensable to that development of cultural memory on which civilization depends.” http://www.thememorybank.co.uk/book/ cf. http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/8/26/172939/637

]]> By: Tim Lee http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578575 Tim Lee Thu, 10 Apr 2008 11:59:55 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578575 Interestingly, philosophy appears to be the highest in quantitative among non-engineering disciplines. Interestingly, philosophy appears to be the highest in quantitative among non-engineering disciplines.

]]> By: de libertate » The Failure of Business Majors http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578559 de libertate » The Failure of Business Majors Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:46:49 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578559 [...] Wilkinson reports on the chart making the rounds [...] [...] Wilkinson reports on the chart making the rounds [...]

]]> By: Robert S. Porter http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578558 Robert S. Porter Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:32:32 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578558 Wow, my major, history, does suprisingly well in these comparisons. But I'll get back to you in a year when I graduate. Wow, my major, history, does suprisingly well in these comparisons. But I’ll get back to you in a year when I graduate.

]]> By: Fin Fang Foom http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2008/04/09/to-the-slow-and-steady-and-smartest-goes-the-race/comment-page-1/#comment-578554 Fin Fang Foom Thu, 10 Apr 2008 03:22:36 +0000 http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/?p=1396#comment-578554 Oh, but don't you know, econ PhDs can get JDs, and then become law professors, whose starting pay is like four times as much as humanities professors. Oh, but don’t you know, econ PhDs can get JDs, and then become law professors, whose starting pay is like four times as much as humanities professors.

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