In "The Closing of the American Mind", Allan Bloom argued about what he believes is the failure of contemporary American universities and colleges. The very first thing he mentioned in his book was that "almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative" (Bloom 25). He argues the education system is to blame for this. "Relativism is necessary to openness; and this is the virtue, the only virtue, which all primary education for more than fifty years has dedicated itself to inculcating" (Bloom 26). Bloom believes this openness that our education system has created within its students is the root for relativism and postmodernism and in the book he tries to argue against it. In my opinion, Bloom is right that the goal of education should not be to provide students with openness. But I don't think his whole argument in this book about universities and colleges failing at teaching students what they need to know are totally just. Are we students really going to school just to obtain this so called "virtue"? I believe the education we are hoping to achieve is one that gives us objective knowledge and truth.
[...] When you can choose between something easy and something more difficult, the human mind tends to lean toward the easy thing. That is why we need will, determination and a hunger for truth. I believe once a person has such virtues, he will be able to learn and gain knowledge no matter what education system or where he is. The problem here is: how would one be able to have such virtues? Would it be just the luck since birth, something you must have been born with or you will never be able to have it? [...]
[...] A review of The Closing of the American Mind by Allan Bloom In Closing of the American Allan Bloom argued about what he believes is the failure of contemporary American universities and colleges. The very first thing he mentioned in his book was that “almost every student entering the university believes, or says he believes, that truth is relative” (Bloom 25). He argues the education system is to blame for this. “Relativism is necessary to openness; and this is the virtue, the only virtue, which all primary education for more than fifty years has dedicated itself to inculcating” (Bloom 26). [...]
[...] Only then will everyone be able to understand the true value of knowledge, of truth, the true values of life. I believe Allan Bloom will also agree with this argument. In conclusion, I mostly agree with Bloom's arguments in Closing of the American Mind”. Even though there might be some exaggerating about the American education system, I think his bigger view of how our society should be shaped is splendid. There are critics that agree with him, there are others who do not. [...]
[...] Firstly, he started out by talking about how religion has an essential part in the family life. The Bible used to be commonly believed, only common culture” in the United States (Bloom 58). But due to the development of science in addition to Americans' nature of being open to new ideas, people start losing faith in the Bible and they relied on science to find the answer for what they do not understand. With the book” being no longer widely believed, there is now no more objective moral truth. [...]
[...] The problem is there and there needs to be someone who would raise the question. Not only did Bloom do a good job in that, he also gave a brilliant solution. It might not be the easiest to accept, but if we do not act soon, the consequences can become very critical. Work Cited Allan, Bloom. Closing of the American mind how higher education has failed democracy and impoverished the souls of today's students. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987. [...]
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