Mazuru
04-01-2008, 04:52 PM
Good evening, i was asked to identify the thesis in this article, the burden of proof, any reasons to agree/disagree and separate ideas from arguements. Could anyone help?
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A number of universities in Canda insist all students take some liberal arts courses regardless of their chosen field. This is a great idea, and it benefits all of us. There is a no better way for these students to prepare themselves for work, lifelong learning, and citizenship in a knowledge economy.
Some people disagree. Several years ago in ontario, there were newspaper articles, op-ed pieces and government ministers saying we should cut back on liberal arts and focus on technical and training-oriented programs addressing specific needs of business.
I discussed this isse one day in 2000 with Trent University's chancellor, the late Peter Gzowski. We hatches a plan to win the support of an influential and counterintuitive group -- Canada's most senior high-tech CEOs. I asked the CEOs to attach their names to a public call for proper funding to liberal arts and science courses in canadian universities. Of the 35 executives who recieved my e-mal, 31 signed on within 48 hours. One newspaper said it was no surprise since the majority of the CEOs had a libberal arts and science education themselves. The CEOs were passionate about the isse, saying that if their companies were to prosper in an increasingly competitive marketplace, they needed people who could think, synthesize ideas, communicate, place things in contet, and understand teh relationship between things. In this new world, it's not just what you know that counts -- it's your capacity to think and learn throughout your life, communicate, and above all, collaborate.
Personally, i attribute much of whatever success i have had in the high-tech world to my liberal arts experience.
In psychology, i leaned about human motivation, personality and cognition -- the foundation of my work as a manager and educator. Sociology taught me to think in terms of teams and the dynamics of collaboration. From my small biology tutorial, i learned (in addition to the importance of being prepared) the power of nautral ecosystems -- a concept applicable to just about everything. In English i developed my ability to use accurate ideas. There is nothing like history and anthropology to develop one's sense of context.
Canadian citizens need such skills, since digital technologies are creating a world in which knowledge, power, and productive capability are more dispersed than at any time in our history -- where value creation will be fast, fluid and persistently disruptive.
Evidence is growing that if we do this right, this may be the birth of a new era, perhaps even a golden one, on par with the italian renaissance or the rise of athenian democracy. Mass collaboration across borders, disciplines, and cultures is suddenly economical. We can collaborate to produce Linux, Wikipedia, Blogs, Mutual funds, and even motorcycles. The largest motorcycle maker is not a company -- its a self-organizing network of part suppliers, builders and distributers in China. They meet in teahouses and on-line, to figure out how their parts work together. Some companies make carburetors, while others do final assembly.
A single personal computer now contains a billion transistors. This year, there were more transistors produced in the world than grains of rice -- and at a lower cost. And there is no end to such progress in sight. Transistors will contunue to shrink, processor power will continue to increase, chips will be imbedded into every object, Internet bandwith will continue to expand and, if we will it, there will be far-reaching changes in the way we do business, work, play, take care of ourselves and even think -- for the better.
Todays graduates are the first generationto grow up in the digital age, They have bathed in bits, and breathed in technology. Armed with an immersion in liberal arts and the capacity to think, solve problems and communicate, they are well equipped for life-long learning and collaboration.
With this comes responsibility.
A friend of mine who works for the OECD asked me to guess the source of air pollution that killed most people. I said cars, which was wrong, and then industrial emissions, which was also wrong, so then i gave up. The answer is cooking fires. over a billion people cook in huts with no ventilation. And it is killing them.
According to the World Health Organization, more than two billion people live without basic sanitation. Over a billion people earn less than a dollar a day. Many leading scientiests have predicted that humanity may not pass through this century if we don't make radical changes in how we care for this planet. Half of the children in the world have never used the telephone, let alone the internet.
To be sure, those graduating today should follow their dreams for prosperity as previous generations have done. But, as a society, we can't afford for this generation to disappear for the next 20 years as they build their businesses or advance their careers. We need them to apply the unique capabilities of their generation to the broader social good.
In this world, self-interest and common interest are becoming aligned as never before. The global village needs business innovation for economic progress. But businesses need a world of social justice, equality of social opportunity and stability for an effective global market place for goods, services and human capital. Business can't succeed in a world that is failing.
Any help is appreciated, Thanks and regards.
Mazuru
-------------------------------------
A number of universities in Canda insist all students take some liberal arts courses regardless of their chosen field. This is a great idea, and it benefits all of us. There is a no better way for these students to prepare themselves for work, lifelong learning, and citizenship in a knowledge economy.
Some people disagree. Several years ago in ontario, there were newspaper articles, op-ed pieces and government ministers saying we should cut back on liberal arts and focus on technical and training-oriented programs addressing specific needs of business.
I discussed this isse one day in 2000 with Trent University's chancellor, the late Peter Gzowski. We hatches a plan to win the support of an influential and counterintuitive group -- Canada's most senior high-tech CEOs. I asked the CEOs to attach their names to a public call for proper funding to liberal arts and science courses in canadian universities. Of the 35 executives who recieved my e-mal, 31 signed on within 48 hours. One newspaper said it was no surprise since the majority of the CEOs had a libberal arts and science education themselves. The CEOs were passionate about the isse, saying that if their companies were to prosper in an increasingly competitive marketplace, they needed people who could think, synthesize ideas, communicate, place things in contet, and understand teh relationship between things. In this new world, it's not just what you know that counts -- it's your capacity to think and learn throughout your life, communicate, and above all, collaborate.
Personally, i attribute much of whatever success i have had in the high-tech world to my liberal arts experience.
In psychology, i leaned about human motivation, personality and cognition -- the foundation of my work as a manager and educator. Sociology taught me to think in terms of teams and the dynamics of collaboration. From my small biology tutorial, i learned (in addition to the importance of being prepared) the power of nautral ecosystems -- a concept applicable to just about everything. In English i developed my ability to use accurate ideas. There is nothing like history and anthropology to develop one's sense of context.
Canadian citizens need such skills, since digital technologies are creating a world in which knowledge, power, and productive capability are more dispersed than at any time in our history -- where value creation will be fast, fluid and persistently disruptive.
Evidence is growing that if we do this right, this may be the birth of a new era, perhaps even a golden one, on par with the italian renaissance or the rise of athenian democracy. Mass collaboration across borders, disciplines, and cultures is suddenly economical. We can collaborate to produce Linux, Wikipedia, Blogs, Mutual funds, and even motorcycles. The largest motorcycle maker is not a company -- its a self-organizing network of part suppliers, builders and distributers in China. They meet in teahouses and on-line, to figure out how their parts work together. Some companies make carburetors, while others do final assembly.
A single personal computer now contains a billion transistors. This year, there were more transistors produced in the world than grains of rice -- and at a lower cost. And there is no end to such progress in sight. Transistors will contunue to shrink, processor power will continue to increase, chips will be imbedded into every object, Internet bandwith will continue to expand and, if we will it, there will be far-reaching changes in the way we do business, work, play, take care of ourselves and even think -- for the better.
Todays graduates are the first generationto grow up in the digital age, They have bathed in bits, and breathed in technology. Armed with an immersion in liberal arts and the capacity to think, solve problems and communicate, they are well equipped for life-long learning and collaboration.
With this comes responsibility.
A friend of mine who works for the OECD asked me to guess the source of air pollution that killed most people. I said cars, which was wrong, and then industrial emissions, which was also wrong, so then i gave up. The answer is cooking fires. over a billion people cook in huts with no ventilation. And it is killing them.
According to the World Health Organization, more than two billion people live without basic sanitation. Over a billion people earn less than a dollar a day. Many leading scientiests have predicted that humanity may not pass through this century if we don't make radical changes in how we care for this planet. Half of the children in the world have never used the telephone, let alone the internet.
To be sure, those graduating today should follow their dreams for prosperity as previous generations have done. But, as a society, we can't afford for this generation to disappear for the next 20 years as they build their businesses or advance their careers. We need them to apply the unique capabilities of their generation to the broader social good.
In this world, self-interest and common interest are becoming aligned as never before. The global village needs business innovation for economic progress. But businesses need a world of social justice, equality of social opportunity and stability for an effective global market place for goods, services and human capital. Business can't succeed in a world that is failing.
Any help is appreciated, Thanks and regards.
Mazuru