Summary Of Save The World On Your Own Time By Stanley Fish

Higher educational systems allow students to adapt more to both theoretical and practical knowledge. Universities around the world offer programs of different criteria for their students. Civic engagement programs allow students to become a part of their community, which improves students’ social and moral experiences. Students who are civically engaged develop a series of skills apart from their education. Stanley Fish, an American literary theorist and a public intellectual writes and argues about the progression of education. “Save The World On Your Own Time” by Fish, elucidates his point of view of the modern day universities’ mission statements. Fish makes an unconditional argument that explains why a university shouldn’t teach or include

He supports his claim by arguing contingent effects. There might be a subject that comes across both educational and practical views that could “strike a cord that sets a student… on a [different] path” (Fish 13). Yet, Fish describes this situation as “contingent effects”(13). Universities shouldn’t aim to these contingent effects, because they have a little chance of progression. Teachers should teach courses with the “pedagogical task” (Fish 14). Pedagogical task is the aim of passing on knowledge and conferring skills. Then, Fish explains this situation as a contingent effects that universities shouldn’t focus or aim at. Then Fish also rebuts stating, “ I have no objection to internships programs…” (Fish 22). He rebuts to an objection that is made to him about certain kinds of extracurricular activities. Fish has no objection to extracurricular programs, but as long as they aren’t into fulfillment of graduation or grading requirements (22). As stated, Fish argues about how teaching personal views might affect a small amount of students by chance and he has no objection to extracurricular programs unless they are apart of

He claimed that it is not the university’s job to interfere with any sole ideas or ideologies. Fish also provides data in which he supports his claim. He argues strongly about how time consuming it would be teaching students moral capacities rather than academic material. Fish argues about the low chances of productivity if teachers and universities constantly depended on contingent situations or amount of students. He used many generalizations, about how many students would automatically follow several different ideologues and believe opinionated facts, socially and politically driven ideas and beliefs. He also has two absolute ideas, whether a student learns as Fish explains or a student is politically and socially influenced. In conclusion, Fish argues about what a university should and shouldn’t do during the course of education. The developing of skills and knowledge is necessary, rather than developing ideologies and values. According to Fish, it is nearly impossible to create a classroom that shares both academic and external capacities