A well educated person
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Original post by mclovin123
You are missing quite alot tbh.
I think he is missing everything and nothing .
An extensive knowledge of Doctor Who. 
Everything you said, and I'd say a basic knowledge of the sciences is important as well. And history! We don't know enough damn history! Politics of course (every time someone says they're not going to vote I want to hit them), and a knowledge about other religions/beliefs than their own. Oh! And some basic geography, a skill I am woefully lacking in.
Everything you said, and I'd say a basic knowledge of the sciences is important as well. And history! We don't know enough damn history! Politics of course (every time someone says they're not going to vote I want to hit them), and a knowledge about other religions/beliefs than their own. Oh! And some basic geography, a skill I am woefully lacking in.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it".
Other than that quote from Aristotle (which I just happened to randomly come across the other day), people on the forum have already given some topics which would be good to have some knowledge on.
Other than that quote from Aristotle (which I just happened to randomly come across the other day), people on the forum have already given some topics which would be good to have some knowledge on.
Original post by student777
You missed out:
Important scientific theories
History of the world/at least their country
Basic principles of philosophy and religion
Important scientific theories
History of the world/at least their country
Basic principles of philosophy and religion
yeah i think these are much more important than the stuff the OP was talking about.
Original post by Planar
Economics, history, politics, literature, and languages. Basic knowledge of mythology(Greek and Roman), and awareness of scientific concepts.
(and this is coming from a would-be classicist)
(and this is coming from a would-be classicist)
lol why does knowing about greek and roman myths help to make you an educated person???
Original post by MagicNMedicine
Arts bores are especially annoying, no offence to people who enjoy the arts, but I do find it very pretentious.
You find people who enjoy the arts pretentious?
I'm currently working my way through the Harvard Classics - it's very good for developing a broad self-education over classical texts from important figures. It includes philosophy, Shakespeare, poetry, essays and assorted influential texts. If you google it, you will be able to find it as downloadable in e-book format since the copyright has expired. Highly recommended for a good liberal education.
Seems like I am butting in a little late but I rather feel a few points have been missed.
As far as I can see from scanning the last five pages, no one has mentioned trivium and quadrivium, the basis of American liberal arts studies (which embody the classical idea of a "good education"). Trivium consists of grammar, logic and rhetoric and quadrivium furthers these basic groundings into music, arithmetic, astronomy and geometry. This often used to be a precursor to study of philosophy.
Another interesting point is that quite a few of the more sciencey types have been lamenting at the lack of knowledge of basic science and maths and the first poster mentioned the Brontes and Shakespeare. However, no one has acknowledged that, in Britain at least, we are forced to specialise at a very early age. To learn differentiation, which was mentioned as a prerequisite to intelligent conversation (albeit sarcastically I presume) it is usually necessary to take maths A level. A corresponding level of Ancient Greek or physics also requires either a great deal of effort externally to studies or an impractically large number of A-levels. It is important to see particularly for sciences that as they become more and more lucrative in industry, governments want more science taught to a greater depth at a younger age. The need for early specialisation reduces the ability to get a "good education".
As far as I can see from scanning the last five pages, no one has mentioned trivium and quadrivium, the basis of American liberal arts studies (which embody the classical idea of a "good education"). Trivium consists of grammar, logic and rhetoric and quadrivium furthers these basic groundings into music, arithmetic, astronomy and geometry. This often used to be a precursor to study of philosophy.
Another interesting point is that quite a few of the more sciencey types have been lamenting at the lack of knowledge of basic science and maths and the first poster mentioned the Brontes and Shakespeare. However, no one has acknowledged that, in Britain at least, we are forced to specialise at a very early age. To learn differentiation, which was mentioned as a prerequisite to intelligent conversation (albeit sarcastically I presume) it is usually necessary to take maths A level. A corresponding level of Ancient Greek or physics also requires either a great deal of effort externally to studies or an impractically large number of A-levels. It is important to see particularly for sciences that as they become more and more lucrative in industry, governments want more science taught to a greater depth at a younger age. The need for early specialisation reduces the ability to get a "good education".
Original post by sswf224
What subjects does a "well educated" person know or should know about.
For instance should they have a good grasp of:-
The classics (ie Bronte etc)
Shakespeare
Greek Mythology
A couple of languages
Opera
Classical music
General knowledge
Have I missed an important one ?
For instance should they have a good grasp of:-
The classics (ie Bronte etc)
Shakespeare
Greek Mythology
A couple of languages
Opera
Classical music
General knowledge
Have I missed an important one ?
Wouldn't it depends on what they are well educated in?
You could have all the knowledge on particle physics, but no knowledge of language, classics, opera, music.
Does that mean they're not well educated?
Original post by sswf224
What subjects does a "well educated" person know or should know about.
For instance should they have a good grasp of:-
The classics (ie Bronte etc)
Shakespeare
Greek Mythology
A couple of languages
Opera
Classical music
General knowledge
Have I missed an important one ?
For instance should they have a good grasp of:-
The classics (ie Bronte etc)
Shakespeare
Greek Mythology
A couple of languages
Opera
Classical music
General knowledge
Have I missed an important one ?
More of a dinner party show-off list really.
Original post by HSG1992
Whenever I see a person eat with their fork in their right hand and their knive in their left, I die a little inside.
Why?
I mean sure, it's not the "normal" thing to do. But then, neither is writing with your left hand.
Original post by MagicNMedicine
That sounds like what a show off at a middle class chatterati dinner party should know about.
You can be well educated in different ways. Knowing maths, science, economics, politics, history etc are all more useful IMO than those arts.
You do come across from time to time either someone you work with or an annoying uncle etc who appears to know 'everything about everything', invariably they don't know as much as they reckon, but they like to take advantage of the fact that you don't know much about the subject either so can blag a bit. Arts bores are especially annoying, no offence to people who enjoy the arts, but I do find it very pretentious.
You can be well educated in different ways. Knowing maths, science, economics, politics, history etc are all more useful IMO than those arts.
You do come across from time to time either someone you work with or an annoying uncle etc who appears to know 'everything about everything', invariably they don't know as much as they reckon, but they like to take advantage of the fact that you don't know much about the subject either so can blag a bit. Arts bores are especially annoying, no offence to people who enjoy the arts, but I do find it very pretentious.
I could not agree with you more.
And im off to do an arts degree
Yet it does annoy me when people call someone who has a large general knowledge a 'know it all' and act as if they think they are always right, simply for knowing a lot random facts.
Original post by MagicNMedicine
That sounds like what a show off at a middle class chatterati dinner party should know about.
You can be well educated in different ways. Knowing maths, science, economics, politics, history etc are all more useful IMO than those arts.
You do come across from time to time either someone you work with or an annoying uncle etc who appears to know 'everything about everything', invariably they don't know as much as they reckon, but they like to take advantage of the fact that you don't know much about the subject either so can blag a bit. Arts bores are especially annoying, no offence to people who enjoy the arts, but I do find it very pretentious.
You can be well educated in different ways. Knowing maths, science, economics, politics, history etc are all more useful IMO than those arts.
You do come across from time to time either someone you work with or an annoying uncle etc who appears to know 'everything about everything', invariably they don't know as much as they reckon, but they like to take advantage of the fact that you don't know much about the subject either so can blag a bit. Arts bores are especially annoying, no offence to people who enjoy the arts, but I do find it very pretentious.
Yup, Maths, Science and (real) Economics just don't fit well at the dinner table whereas things such as Arts and History do.
Original post by HSG1992
Whenever I see a person eat with their fork in their right hand and their knive in their left, I die a little inside.
What about left-handed/ambidextrous people?
In which case it isn't etiquette, it's practicality...the one I mind is people who eat in the traditional American way, which is knife in right fork in left, cut, move fork to right hand, eat. Also, it's ridiculously time-consuming...
(edited 12 years ago)
Original post by bobcat7
lol why does knowing about greek and roman myths help to make you an educated person???
Because they are the basis for a lot of literature in the modern day, and there are plenty of references which you won't understand unless you know some mythology
People are confusing sophistication with education.
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