Theme: Education

ANSWERING QUESTIONS ON THE COURSES

—“Hey Curt, I saw your post about “young men searching for answers” and I’m interested in the courses.

1) —“Do you think these courses will be accessible to someone like me, or should I wait a while and try to learn a bit more first?”—

I have worked very hard to make them accessible, by handing out the ideas one at a time, in incremental fashion. I don’t think you will need to know anything much prior. And the discussions (as you can see from participating in my feed) will often compensate for differences.

2) —“How much will these courses cost?”—

It depends upon the number of people who register for a course. We are not trying to make money at this, just cover costs.

(a) When courses roll out they will be at a discount.

(b) After that they will increase. They will increase further when (if) we obtain Accreditation (USA).

(c) We will *probably* use Purchasing Power Parity to price the courses since not everyone lives in western economies, and we want worldwide students.

(d) The courses will be either 3 or 6 credits. We don’t have the same issues as physical universities, so instead of breaking first year courses in two, we will teach them as one six credit course. A 3 credit course must consist of 45-48 hours of class time, and a six credit, (two semester) course double that.

(e) Accredited University courses of this nature are usually in the $500+ Range for three credits at a community college and $3000 in a proper liberal arts college. Which is obvious something we cannot do, do not need to do, and is not in our long term interest to do. We are targeting 100-200 for these courses. And we will reduce the price if more people take them. It’s a matter of paying for time, equipment, and servers.

(f) there is some behavioral tendency we need to deal with, which is that it if isn’t expensive enough we won’t filter for the right people – those who are truly interested in working thru it.

One way or another we will find a way for everyone who wants to, to study together.

3) —“How much time/week do you think would be needed to take them?”—

Believe it or not there are recommended time allotments for different courses. So there are some general rules. And they are roughly about the same as the credit hours. ie: 3 hrs per week per class. That includes ‘think time’. Most classes require you read a few wiki or SEP articles, and then answer a few questions. Then critique others in the forums. Mostly so that I can judge whether you’re onboard or not.

So far we are aiming at classes consisting of one weekly one three hour ‘class’ that may or may not be broken into two or three sections.

These courses do not have to be completed all at once. And I don’t use due dates so to speak. So if you need to take longer it’s fine. You either complete the course, and do so successfully or you don’t. I am not, and the university is not, testing whether you will make a good employee. We are teaching you to be a contemplative judge of the Truth and the Law.

—“4) Do you have any idea when the economics course will be available?”—

Economics course consists of defining economics as a discipline divided into a spectrum of levers, and then stating the problems with economics as it sits today, and how to repair it. Then teaching it through that ‘corrected lens’. Which involves Austrian (legal), Micro (standard micro), Chicago (insurance), Beckerian (human capital), and Macro (Levers of policy) with less emphasis on keynesian/Post-keynesian macro equilibria, and more on specific attempts to manage the spectrum of capital in the polity. From what I understand at this moment this will be 12 credits, or two 6 credit courses over two years. It is not meant to teach mathematical economic analysis, but political economy – understanding sufficient for rendering legal judgements on disputes over economic conflicts and proposals.

—“Good to see the progress you’re making with this kind of thing, glad my patreon shekels aren’t going to waste.”—

Your shekels are much appreciated. We do have costs. And it’s very helpful when you help us cover them. And it makes a big difference (especially in my stress level). And I’m forever grateful that you’re making Propertarianism and the White Law possible.