Kids, don't go to Stanford; come to NC State

"'Moral Foundations of Capitalism' class cancelled". (Link via Instapundit.)

The course was extremely well-received. The enrollment ceiling was accidentally doubled, allowing the class size to swell past its intended 15-student capacity, and there was a scramble to shrink the seminar back down. . . . 

Despite strong demand, the class was discontinued after three years due to a restructuring of Stanford’s general education requirements (GERs). Beginning next year, one of the new requirements will be “Ethical Reasoning.”

N.C. State's version of this course is still going strong. (Granted, it is titled " A Closer Look Capitalism" because our Philosophy Department has trademarked "moral" and they wouldn't let us use it.)

Comments

[Paul Jaminet]

That is crazy. I have a degree in philosophy because I was interested in moral philosophy, and I don't recall any philosophical theory that advocated restricting the ability to discuss morality to philosophers. Didn't there used to be a concept of academic freedom?

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

'“There is no right or wrong answer to each of those questions,” Newmark said, “but I'll argue that if you prefer to focus on the individual, and if you like lots of ‘stuff,’ then capitalism is the best economic system.”'

And if you don't like secret police, star chamber proceedings, an intimidated populace, capitalism is better too. Since capitalism doesn't need those things to keep it in place.

Socialism does. By coincidence, last night I watched a Czech movie made during the 1968 Prague Spring--and quickly suppressed by the Russians--'All My Good Countrymen'. It depicted the lives of ordinary people caught up in the post WWII machinations of the Communists.

The moral foundations of socialism need more inspection too.

[JorgXMckie]

Aw, c'mon. Everyone in Academia *knows* capitalism has no moral foundations.