Philosopher Jack Weinstein has written what I think is an extremely insightful essay on academic values, anti-intellectualism, and higher ed structure. It appears in the current issue of Thought and Action, which, fortunately for you, is available on-line. This important essay is here.

I can’t resist noting that I explored some of these themes here, but Jack’s essay is certainly more comprehensive.

John G. Pappas - 10/10/2004

I agree with Weinstein in large areas here, especially the view that D students can evaluate the instructors fairly. The larger myth here seems to me that students are told ad nausea that college is the road to success, then enroll, then blame everyone - faculty mostly - but not themselves for their failure. They just want the damn diploma. The Aristotle quote was great. Education = Pain.
The only area I think I disagree was the notion of Al Gore as some intellectual giant. "Earth in the Balance" was godawful.