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Originally Posted by pbradley
Then I don't see how your historical perspective implicates critical theory in any exceptional manner. Socrates decried sophistry for many of the same points but the philosophers who were included under it have been valuable. What makes this a develop of "recent decades" rather than a common and necessary trait? You mention intellectualism being a result of wealth so does intellectualism always bring it upon itself during impoverished times by simply being itself?
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sophists actually provided a services to their patrons. they commanded large fees. i think their condemnation by socraplato was different from what i'm talking about here.
look,the intellect is the faculty of the human brain, and anyone can "philosophize" over some beers, but only freedom from labor allows a social class to devote themselves to intellectual pursuits-- is that too hard to comprehend? go try being a philosopher while making a living as a dishwasher, without external means of support-- i dare you. do it as an experiment, say, for 6 months, and when you finally realize how the real world works apply to law school and use your philosophical training to make a decent living. seriously.
i'd say "go be a philospher" but there's a current need for culling-- not exctinction, just culling-- bad times-- and you probably would need to make it to a top-level school if you're going to stand the faintest of chances of ever getting a tenured position. you could try for adjunct-for-life, but it's a painful and miserable road.
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Originally Posted by pbradley
You speak of patrons but you don't know who they are so I don't know how this is relevant. What patrons? I was under the impression that universities funded their departments from tuition and the like rather than wealthy private interests. Could you explain to me the role of patronage in contemporary the university system?
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jeezus man, your impression is WRONG. universities depend either on huge endowments or state funds to keep going. why do you think there's a rich person's name above the door every time a new pavillion/laboratory/auditorium/sports complex gets built? do you have any idea of the massive private wealth that supports institutions like harvard, yale (which owns like half of new haven), and other top schools? tuition schmision! hasn't your school hit you up for donations yet, recent graduate? by "i don't know who they may be" i mean, shit, state governments, federal grants, the pentagon, rich fuckers looking to leave a "legacy" (aka "philantropists"), megacorporations ("this is a pepsi campus"), armies of devoted alumni, etc-- the list is too fucking long for me to investigate and list each particular case, but there's a general outline for you. in europe and latin america it's been mostly a govenrment thing, i believe, hence depending on taxes, though there ARE private universities.
anyway, your assumptions are hopelessly naive. best luck.