Anthropology (catch all)

[120mm]

This type of idea, call it a form of "cultural geometry", is really fairly old - the original versions of it were used to analyze kinship patterns in the 1920's, and Tylor used it to analyze cultural institutions back in 1888. But, in part due to the tide of Marxist and Post Modernist thought in the discipline, these works aren't being taught any more, so they are not part of the "received heritage" of many new Anthropologists. When you add in the institutional reality of getting degrees today, you also have to remember that no one who wants to go to graduate school can afford to take classes where they wil get poor marks. This is even worse in graduate school where you can be kicked out of your program for getting less than a B-. So, the end result is that intellectual exploration is not encouraged and you cannot afford to try and get the tools that are needed.

Marc

So... what stops an individual from conducting "Guerilla Learning". That is, deciding what they Need To Know(tm) beforehand, mastering the skill, and then taking the classes in order to get the credit.

The problem being, you can't be a scientist without the sheepskin. Especially if you want to work for the people who are in charge of War.

A perfect world would allow someone to apply for the job by demonstrating skill and mastery rather than "punched tickets".