Has Trinity College Dublin lost it's way?

Bob Russ

I'm posting this here as I feel it's relevant to all sections of society.

In the past Trinity used to be a bastion of tradition and would only teach the most rigorous and rarefied of subjects, recognising the academic needs of the brightest young minds of the country. Nowadays there's all kind of outrage out there at 'Mickey Mouse' courses such as Golf Course Management where students can go out and get a degree in something that really should be a vocational course or something learnt on the job.

As a traditionalist I have a lot of sympathy for this approach, after all universities and academic courses are better for some things while vocational schools, apprenticeships and polytechnics are better for others. The thing is, no one seems to be willing to take a proper look at Trinity itself, perhaps assuming that its old buildings somehow shield it from the onrushing plague of modernity.

The university's limited resources and places are being taken up by ridiculous courses such as 'Computer Sciences', 'Oriental Studies', 'Human Sciences' and 'Experimental Psychology'. Just looking at the names of these courses tells you how ridiculous they are, it's well known that courses which have to put 'sciences' or 'studies' in the title are academically lacking.

I propose that the university should return to its roots and offer only the study of Classics, Theology and Philosophy. These provide firm intellectual roots for intelligent individuals to go on to be gentlemen (and women - some aspects of modernity are positive!) of leisure. Other subjects should be left to the toilers of this world, base in intellect but useful in their actions.

The other arts subjects are mere fripperies designed to excite the withered intellects of the chattering classes after a long day in middle management. History for example, what point does it have beyond titillation?

The sciences', medicine's and engineering's proper places are in technical schools and apprenticeships. While they are vital to the smooth running of our country, to claim that they involve any intellectual capacity requires a stunning level of ignorance. Like being a government bureaucrat, the scientist is given a task performs that task and then reports observations. It requires only a steady hand and keen eye.

Languages can of course be learnt by going to the relevant country, I see no reason why places for philosophy students should be lost in favour of linguists.

I'll concede that mathematics might have a place within the university.


To conclude, I propose that those subjects inappropriate to Trinity's nature, as outlined above, be moved to UCD or DCU which as more modern universities are undoubtedly more suited in those areas and can provide better for those types of students.

orourkeda

no its still there

bonerm

It sure has. They're even letting Catholics in there these days. :eek:

GLaDOS

Bob Russ wrote: »

The sciences', medicine's and engineering's proper places are in technical schools and apprenticeships. While they are vital to the smooth running of our country, to claim that they involve any intellectual capacity requires a stunning level of ignorance. Like being a government bureaucrat, the scientist is given a task performs that task and then reports observations. It requires only a steady hand and keen eye.

Science > Arts

r3nu4l

As they say on /b/ 'Obvious troll is obvious...'

yawn, snooze!

orourkeda

Perhaps the snobbish approach to gaining a third level qualification needs to be knocked on the head.

ejmaztec

Doesn't TCD organise coach-trips for stoners, on the pretext of taking them to the seaside for adventure training and team-building?

Giblet

Oscar Wilde was pretty gay

Bob Russ

orourkeda wrote: »

Perhaps the snobbish approach to gaining a third level qualification needs to be knocked on the head.

I'm not being a snob, merely suggesting moving these subjects to an institution that would be more suitable for those type of students leaving Trinity to it's traditions

El Siglo

What are retarded first post OP! Even trolling isn't as fun as it used to be, was expecting something like, "get the papists out" and "Home Rule is Rome Rule" etc...

prinz

Bob Russ wrote: »

Just looking at the names of these courses tells you how ridiculous they are, it's well known that courses which have to put 'sciences' or 'studies' in the title are academically lacking..

Tell us Bobbo, what courses have you done?

Groinshot

Go study classics and tell me what job you can get with it. Just because you cant do maths for engineering doesnt mean that it takes no intellect. If your going for brash statements-anyone can be told the stories that are classics,and udnerstand them without any real sense, but not many can actually solve "problems" that really affect the real world?

If we didn't have classics courses, people wouldnt have any reason to do it other than to piss around. what jobs can they get otehr than lecturing?

Micilin Muc

Bob Russ wrote: »

Has Trinity College Dublin lost it's way?

It should lose its apostrophe, if anything.

Degsy

Bob Russ wrote: »

I'm not being a snob, merely suggesting moving these subjects to an institution that would be more suitable for those type of students leaving Trinity to it's traditions

So they cut down drasticaly on the number of students?
How do they pay the bills?Its a huge place.

Davidius

Any philosophy course that doesn't teach a good bit of maths is doing it wrong.

CreepingDeath

Bob Russ wrote: »

I'm not being a snob, merely suggesting moving these subjects to an institution that would be more suitable for those type of students leaving Trinity to it's traditions

And you think that "Classics, Theology and Philosophy" are going to get Ireland out of a recession ?

Colleges are there to educate students with up-to-date skills for the jobs market.

WindSock

Bob Russ wrote: »

. These provide firm intellectual roots for intelligent individuals to go on to be gentlemen (and women - some aspects of modernity are positive!) of leisure.

What's the point in providing all these intellectual courses for people who are on the dole?

me_right_one

Bob Russ wrote: »

I propose that the university should return to its roots and offer only the study of Classics, Theology and Philosophy. These provide firm intellectual roots for intelligent individuals to go on to be gentlemen (and women - some aspects of modernity are positive!) of leisure. Other subjects should be left to the toilers of this world, base in intellect but useful in their actions.

You remind me of the baddie out of Titanic.

Bob Russ wrote: »

The sciences', medicine's and engineering's proper places are in technical schools and apprenticeships. While they are vital to the smooth running of our country, to claim that they involve any intellectual capacity requires a stunning level of ignorance.

Yea. Good luck with that. When your precious mind is being eaten away by brain cancer, dont call a surgeon, as they wouldn't be up to scratch. Call a philosopher instead.

Nevyn

How they can let philosophy students not do logic makes no sense.

msg11

I stopped reading after the 'ridiculous courses such as 'Computer Sciences'',

What the **** are you smoking? If it were not for that course you wouldnt be using the computer your on and hardly any techinical advances.

Get a grip, you can stay in the stone age all you want, but I aint staying with you.

CreepingDeath

I think the OP is a Harry Potter fan and just wants to go somewhere like Hogwarts.

TheZohanS

Try the Dublin City forum.

And don't troll Trinity just bcause you didn't get accepted as a mature student.