On Teaching American Philosophy

I honestly don't pay much attention to such things, but I gather that an order has come down from on high from our CUNY board members (mainly right wing Pataki/Giuliani political castoffs having little or no knowledge about higher education or, apparently, fund-raising capacity on behalf of our City University of NY now being starved for funding by the Pataki vetoes of legislatively authorized public funds) that we shall be obliged to teach some American philosophy in each of our introductory philosophy classes. This will not be difficult to do as most of us are American philosophers.

But I wonder whether these characters realize that our best known classical American philosophers -- Dewey, William James and such -- were LIBERALS!!! James for his part maintained a sort of modified utilitarianism to the effect that the right thing to do would consist of satisfying the maximum possible number of people's "claims and demands." Yes, downright revolutionary stuff like that. And Dewey believed that all children had a touch of genius of one sort or another to be discovered, unlocked, and promoted. He did not suggest that 'standards must be maintained' that exclude this or that category of student willing to learn and do the work as do our trustees.

And what is wrong with Descartes anyway, whom most of us teach in our introductory core philosophy course -- is it that he is part of the old Europe? Ah me! Such is life when one's powers that be seem to be somewhat illiterate and in need of a bit of adult education themselves.

Growl! Ed Kent

P.S. Will be sending out blind copies of this to some of my former students, including a recent Rhodes and a Beinecke Scholar who are among the advisors to my student group list. Certainly wish we had such as these as our CUNY trustees. Any trustees are welcomed to attend at least any of my classes for an upgrade on what they learned in days of yore or to sign into my Student Concerns list.