Deschooling Society

Book (out of print) by IvanIllich, but available here:

and that was just the first page of results from Google.

To summarize incorrectly, recommends eliminating official qualifications (certification, etc.). If you want to hire someone, find out what they know by talking with them, with others.

Educational systems can focus on teaching rather than certifying.

Might work. Hard to get there from here. Interesting thought experiment.

Another dodgy summary:

It is the responsibility of all parts of society be open to those who want to learn how they work.

Open source software is in the spirit of the book; more generally organisations and workplaces should be open to those who want to study them.

Educational institutions sometimes serve institutional needs rather than educational needs and act to exclude students from the organisations and workplaces that should be providing learning opportunities to them.

So, doctor, you say I need brain surgery?
- I'm not a doctor
You aren't?
- No. I never graduated from medical school. Actually, I never went to medical school, but they let me hang around here at the hospital. I'm keen to learn, I picked up a few things.
Oh. So, um, do you know what you're talking about?
- Why don't you decide for yourself?
But I don't know enough about brain surgery to ask useful questions, or to judge your answers to them if someone gave me some to ask.
- I see. Well, maybe you could find someone who does.
But how will I know if they know what they're talking about?

[and so on]

I never went to medical school, but they let me hang around here at the hospital. I'm keen to learn, I picked up a few things.

Thank you, goodbye.

[Please bring on a non- StrawMan example here, i'll play :-]

Well I'm game.......

SCENARIO A

So, doctor, you say I need brain surgery?
- Yes, indeed
May I ask about your qualifications?
- Certainly, I graduated from Med. School in 1985
Oh. So, um, do you know what you're talking about? Haven't there been some significant advances in understanding of the brain since then?
- Well, of course, I keep up with latest developments, read the journals, talk to my colleagues on the golf course.
So really, you just hang around here at the hospital, really quite busy, but keen to learn, and pick up a few things in your spare time?
- Uh. Well. I guess you could put it like that, but truthfully, that's all we CAN do.

SCENARIO B

So, doctor, you say I need brain surgery?
- Yes, indeed, and right away!
Gosh! Well, who do recommend to carry out the procedure?
- You have a choice of two very good surgeons. One is a young fellow, very highly qualified, just starting out. The other is an older guy, been doing it for years, very successful man.
Hmmmmm.....

ProgrammingAintNeuroSurgery!

You know, I'm not normally the one to go about questioning the value of a page, but in this case...

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