2 Comments
User's avatar
Jay Heinrichs's avatar

There's plenty of evidence that the American Founders read the Scottish philosophers and rhetoricians. (James Madison, the key drafter and defender of the U.S. Constitution, was a protege of Witherspoon's.)

A liberal education was being offered at Harvard, Yale, and William and Mary at the beginning of the 18th century--though certainly not as it evolved during the 19th. But the essential purpose of that education seems to be getting more critical all the time: To prepare a select group of citizens to communicate knowledgeably, define ethical and legal standards, and sustain the culture.

A Masters of Public Policy would be excellent preparation for guiding us through the AI maze.

Economy of hope's avatar

Good morning, Jay, and many thanks for that comment. I’ve posted again o the importance of rhetoric in economics (without mentioning @Deirdre Nansen McCloskey. Starting with Smith, noting Keynes, and linking to @Erik Angner, a present-day economist-philosopher.