The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.
Well, the tuition is free. But there have been mass walkouts by the staff, the Provost left and Bari Weiss has basically nothing to do with the place. She's off creating CBS news into a propaganda outfit for kleptocrat Trump.
But I thought it didn't have an ideological affiliation? I thought it was open to all comers for free and robust debate? Is that why the staff and original promoters bailed?
Love this!! Should always have been the approach/attitude of every institution of higher education. That it is now not for most makes their degrees border on the meaningless because of their mediocrity. Never relent on the pursuit of excellence.
Jefferson said all men are created equal and also believed in a natural aristocracy; these two things are not in conflict. Equality means being treated equally as human beings, each having equal value and worth among mortals - and in our Republic it means equal treatment under the law. This has nothing to do with equality of outcomes. Indeed, trying to attain equal outcomes goes against the very nature of things: it’s quite absurd to think that humans have equal talents, equal ambitions, equal physical or mental or intellectual abilities- equal anything. We are all different with different attributes of character. Even identical twins are different. To favor equal outcomes is to defy reality, to deny reality, to reject nature itself.
Can womens aims be different from men's? Can women have aims to be the best at their life's and those aims not include a higher university education? What different challenges can women bring to the picture? Men & women are created equal but do we have equal aims?
This will be especially good when my daughter is of age to go to University. Great to consider sex ratios of a school. After all, one major purpose of university is assortative dating.
What a great way to talk to next generations… it gives me hope that the future will be bright and that despite the current fatigue and lack of motivation, excellence will be achieved by passion
It was a long and winding path for humanity to discern equality of opportunity and celebration of excellence and success is the way. Keep up the important and great work.
This convocation address reveals the University of Austin's true project: creating an intellectual Sparta for America's elite, where "aristocracy of merit" serves as genteel cover for reproducing existing hierarchies of privilege. Like the Sophists whom Socrates challenged, President Carvalho deploys noble rhetoric about "excellence" and "truth" while fundamentally misunderstanding both, for genuine excellence cannot be hoarded in exclusive sanctuaries, and true wisdom, as Socrates knew, begins with acknowledging one's ignorance, not proclaiming one's superiority over the "rubbish." The school's promise to treat "a child of an American president and the child of a waitress" equally rings hollow when both must first possess the cultural capital to seek such "challenge", a modern echo of Plato's philosopher-kings, where the gold, silver, and bronze souls are pre-sorted by invisible hands, then celebrated as natural aristocracy. This is not rebellion against mediocrity, but the age-old elite fantasy of meritocracy that Aristotle warned against: mistaking accident of birth and circumstance for virtue, and calling the resulting inequality just.
The institution where the staff and Provost fleed and where the original progenitors of the thing have washed their hands of it? UATX is about right wing agitprop.
Why quote Aristotle if there’s nothing special about him? Why denigrate rigorous education made available without regard to ability to pay tuition? That scoundrels could be born to aristocratic privilege in a formally aristocratic society, and do harm, is one of the reasons this country eschewed aristocracy in favor of meritocracy.
I can only hope this signals a return to a search for real excellence in higher education.
I was lucky enough to go through a specialized Honors College at the state university I attended, but that was over 45 years ago. The idea that 50% or more of elite universities get "A"s is a sure way to destroy excellence. When I attended law school I was told, as I suspect many law students were, that whatever our grades had been as an undergrad, most of should expect to get "Cs" which (in the real world) meant satisfactory, not superlative.
Law school grading was like that at most schools, then. It certainly was at mine. More recently I commonly hear reports of law students getting As routinely. Admission standards go down and grades go up. Who’d a thunk it?
life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness. the right to life and liberty are guaranteed - happiness (equality of outcomes meeting ones expectations) isnt
From John Gardner's book Excellence:
The society which scorns excellence in plumbing as a humble activity and tolerates shoddiness in philosophy because it is an exalted activity will have neither good plumbing nor good philosophy: neither its pipes nor its theories will hold water.
Love it! Love it!! Truly inspiring! Inspires hard teaching and even harder work from the students. Keep going UATX!!
It’s a fake university.
It's new, thus on the path to accreditation, a path all new universities take.
Still going to be a grift that ensnares retards like you.
Are you bitter because your application was rejected?
I have much better things to do than give grifters money. But maybe you can impoverish yourself so Bari Weiss can get another $100 million.
Well, the tuition is free. But there have been mass walkouts by the staff, the Provost left and Bari Weiss has basically nothing to do with the place. She's off creating CBS news into a propaganda outfit for kleptocrat Trump.
Ad hominem. Classy.
In what way is uatx fake?
It isn't a real university. You can't do science or engineering there. You can get a single BA in Liberal Studies.
The University of Austin is a small private conservative institution.
But I thought it didn't have an ideological affiliation? I thought it was open to all comers for free and robust debate? Is that why the staff and original promoters bailed?
Love this!! Should always have been the approach/attitude of every institution of higher education. That it is now not for most makes their degrees border on the meaningless because of their mediocrity. Never relent on the pursuit of excellence.
Jefferson said all men are created equal and also believed in a natural aristocracy; these two things are not in conflict. Equality means being treated equally as human beings, each having equal value and worth among mortals - and in our Republic it means equal treatment under the law. This has nothing to do with equality of outcomes. Indeed, trying to attain equal outcomes goes against the very nature of things: it’s quite absurd to think that humans have equal talents, equal ambitions, equal physical or mental or intellectual abilities- equal anything. We are all different with different attributes of character. Even identical twins are different. To favor equal outcomes is to defy reality, to deny reality, to reject nature itself.
Bingo!
Respect from overseas.
Wish you all success in the Endeavour.
Wish we could do that here!
Regards Lars Sommer, Denmark.
It makes me want to give high education a second chance. Is 50 too old…?
A beautiful speech. Every university should tell their incoming freshmen exactly the same thing.
Hoping my son will be part of the Class of 2030!!!
Love this!!!! Unique in these times and incredibly inspiring. Wishing I could go back and experience UATX myself.
What a much needed sea change in education. Bravo!
Why does the photo of students show only males? You did admit females too I hope. You’ll need to if the aim is to challenge the boys.
UATX is about 70/30 males/females.
I see a female in the front row behind the slightly plump fellow.
Can womens aims be different from men's? Can women have aims to be the best at their life's and those aims not include a higher university education? What different challenges can women bring to the picture? Men & women are created equal but do we have equal aims?
This will be especially good when my daughter is of age to go to University. Great to consider sex ratios of a school. After all, one major purpose of university is assortative dating.
What a great way to talk to next generations… it gives me hope that the future will be bright and that despite the current fatigue and lack of motivation, excellence will be achieved by passion
It was a long and winding path for humanity to discern equality of opportunity and celebration of excellence and success is the way. Keep up the important and great work.
This convocation address reveals the University of Austin's true project: creating an intellectual Sparta for America's elite, where "aristocracy of merit" serves as genteel cover for reproducing existing hierarchies of privilege. Like the Sophists whom Socrates challenged, President Carvalho deploys noble rhetoric about "excellence" and "truth" while fundamentally misunderstanding both, for genuine excellence cannot be hoarded in exclusive sanctuaries, and true wisdom, as Socrates knew, begins with acknowledging one's ignorance, not proclaiming one's superiority over the "rubbish." The school's promise to treat "a child of an American president and the child of a waitress" equally rings hollow when both must first possess the cultural capital to seek such "challenge", a modern echo of Plato's philosopher-kings, where the gold, silver, and bronze souls are pre-sorted by invisible hands, then celebrated as natural aristocracy. This is not rebellion against mediocrity, but the age-old elite fantasy of meritocracy that Aristotle warned against: mistaking accident of birth and circumstance for virtue, and calling the resulting inequality just.
My kid goes there. You’re misreading the situation. We are not elites, trust me.
The institution where the staff and Provost fleed and where the original progenitors of the thing have washed their hands of it? UATX is about right wing agitprop.
So elite that the first graduation class has tuition gratis.... And they accepted EVERYONE who applied.
You might be more comfortable in say, Venezuela or China, where communism and socialism are more accepted.
Why quote Aristotle if there’s nothing special about him? Why denigrate rigorous education made available without regard to ability to pay tuition? That scoundrels could be born to aristocratic privilege in a formally aristocratic society, and do harm, is one of the reasons this country eschewed aristocracy in favor of meritocracy.
You'd have us all be intentionally dumbed down then?
I can only hope this signals a return to a search for real excellence in higher education.
I was lucky enough to go through a specialized Honors College at the state university I attended, but that was over 45 years ago. The idea that 50% or more of elite universities get "A"s is a sure way to destroy excellence. When I attended law school I was told, as I suspect many law students were, that whatever our grades had been as an undergrad, most of should expect to get "Cs" which (in the real world) meant satisfactory, not superlative.
Law school grading was like that at most schools, then. It certainly was at mine. More recently I commonly hear reports of law students getting As routinely. Admission standards go down and grades go up. Who’d a thunk it?
life, liberty and the PURSUIT of happiness. the right to life and liberty are guaranteed - happiness (equality of outcomes meeting ones expectations) isnt