The alternative to a liberal arts education is vocational training to be a highly skilled slave. College degrees that don’t require you to be trained in grammar, logic, languages, and clear thinking are worse than worthless. I realize most people harbor no higher ambition than to be a well fed slave, but honestly it’s nothing to boast about.
The liberal arts education you describe is as dead as the famous Monty Python parrot. You might be able to find that kind of education at St. Johns or a half a dozen other schools, but the colleges of liberal arts today mainly provide sinecures for aging leftists.
Why do I imagine a young plumber, mechanic, etc. starting their own business after a while and ultimately become "the richest guy in town"?
Those "slaves" will be laughing all the way to the bank!
I’d love to design a course of study that bridges the two in a more effective way, since the primary purpose of a college education is to teach the student how to think and solve problems, and how to continue the learning process through life. Logic as a philosphy class is void of utility, but logic in C++ on an Arduino is a marketable skill. Ultimately, my ultimate university would produce entrepreneurs and makers, not philosophers and poets.
Yes. One of Common Core's stated goals -- though not in those words.
It's intended to produce kids who don't know history, can't think, but follow directions and observe procedures instinctively.