“intuiting” instead of researching

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Remember a short-lived academic fad for “intuiting” stuff–that is, making it up as you go along–as a substitute for research and the collection of facts? I said “short-lived,” but really it’s still being done, big-time. They just don’t call it “intuiting” anymore.

Solving the Riddles of Ancient History: A Whole New Approach

There’s a whole lot of intuitin’ going on in government, these days. My stars, if they had to rely on facts to back up public policy, they wouldn’t last a day.

But this is how certain professors said we ought to study history, not so long ago–just “intuit” it. Who needs facts? They sort of muted that down when people starting asking who needs professors.

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I haven’t been the same since I read the remarks of a certain college professor, who said students could acquire deep insights into history without having to learn any facts of history.

And here I thought Professor I.B. Loony was just a satirical buffoon.

Solving the Riddles of Ancient History: A Whole New Approach

I do remember, back in the 1990s (or was it the 80s?), an academic fad for “intuiting” things–that is, not bothering to research a subject, but just making it all up as one went along. I knew professors who actually spoke of “intuiting” as a substitute for factual knowledge.

Our culture rot has deep roots.