quote

"We live in a society, and dare I say a University, where few would admit—and none would admit proudly—to not having read any plays by Shakespeare or to not knowing the meaning of the categorical imperative, but where it is all too common and all to acceptable not to know a gene from a chromosome or the meaning of exponential growth."

-- Larry Summers

(via Matthew Yglesias.)

PS: And you can go and Google "categorical imperative," but before you do that just realize that is is another damn moral imperative whereby Kant thinks you're supposed to act this way because morality compels it.... He, of course, fancies it up quite a bit but ultimately he gives it no more significance than this, and don't fall for any of this kind of crap....