Final Thoughts: A Group Conclusion

It would be foolish to argue that our knowledge of science has not progressed since the Victorian era. It would also be foolish to argue for a system of education that ignores the natural sciences completely. What we do maintain is that science and Darwinian evolutionary theory have led to a great amount of social degeneration, we also maintain that a study of science that excludes the liberal arts leaves it students with facts, but not Knowledge—with no sense of morality.
Yet we also do not believe that the Classicists , such as Arnold and the Oxford doctors, were justified their ‘head-in –the-sand’ mentally towards modern scientific discovery. As Newman suggests, respect for Knowledge is best fostered in an education system with a comprehensive approach to all disciplines.
We contend that in today’s educational climate, student’s lack of respect for the education they receive, as well as their lack of respect for disciplines with less perceived utility is a major cause of educational degeneration.
Knowledge for it’s own sake instills a sense of value in students. This appreciation for Knowledge and the educational process is a key aspect in curbing behaviours such as cheating. A lack of this type of knowledge conversely leads to degeneration and the proliferation of academic dishonesty.
Although theorists like Newman and Doody present us with plausible solutions to both the problems of Classicism and scientism, these solutions may still be problematic in their application. We see this is the literature we have read this semester. In The Princess and Curdie, Curdie is able to change the moral fabric of his society, but this all crumbles and decays once he is no longer there. This is because Curdie is unable to make his people internalize these moral truths. In Mill on the Floss, Tom is an example of the practical failures that are not addressed in Newman’s “Idea of a University”. Some people are not capable of learning “Knowledge” for its own sake, and therefore will inevitably be drawn to facts and practical knowledge. How do we educate the Toms? If he could be taught from an early age to value true “Knowledge”, then perhaps he would gain the proper respect for the education he received, but whether this is even possible is not certain.
The other question that Mill on the Floss may raise is should we even educate boys like Tom. We take for granted that education is inherently valuable. Should we impose these values on everyone and enforce Newmanian standards on everyone even if many people could not live up to the requirements of such a system? Is it better that everyone receives a mediocre education or only offer those capable the best education possible? Perhaps Maggie should have been educated and Tom should have been left at home.