If we are not careful, our colleges will produce a group of close-minded, unscientific, illogical propagandists, consumed with immoral acts. Be careful, “brethren!” Be careful, teachers!
Evaluate: I agree, as the saying goes "hate is not born, it is taught." Schools, if we are not careful, can be a place to teach hatred, ignorance, prejudice, etc.
Eugene Talmadge
Reference: A previous governor of Georgia, apparently intelligent but advocated for white supremacy. (Major racist basically)
The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.
Evaluate/Analysis: A lot of people may think of government power that are corrupt. They may have intelligence, but without morals they can just be criminals that are above the law. So I agree, since as an example President Duterte of the Philippines, encouraged citizens to kill drug users. He was smart enough to make Makati, Davao as one of the safest cities in Asia, yet he lacked the morals to not encourage murder.
The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. But education which stops with efficiency may prove the greatest menace to society. The most dangerous criminal may be the man gifted with reason, but with no morals.
Reference: Major claim
Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking. To think incisively and to think for one’s self is very difficult. We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda. At this point, I often wonder whether or not education is fulfilling its purpose. A great majority of the so-called educated people do not think logically and scientifically. Even the press, the classroom, the platform, and the pulpit in many instances do not give us objective and unbiased truths. To save man from the morass of propaganda, in my opinion, is one of the chief aims of education. Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.
Summary: Education should help people think critically and aid us in using evidence to determine facts. Which allows us to disprove propaganda and lies, since there's still plenty of intelligent people who fall for such things.
We are prone to let our mental life become invaded by legions of half truths, prejudices, and propaganda.
Synthesis: Reminds me of history classes. Lots of half truths, shows America being a great country that's not perfect. But there's a lot more skeletons in the closet, so to speak.
It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the ligitimate goals of his life.
Reference: Seems to be a thesis
Still others think that education should furnish them with noble ends rather than means to an end.
Inquiry: Does MLK mean that there are people who use education to pursue more noble, or more moral, results? Instead of just a path needed to be walked to get a job or power/riches?
Most of the “brethren” think that education should equip them with the proper instruments of exploitation so that they can forever trample over the masses.
Analysis: If you're smart enough, and with the right opportunities, you can gain riches and power, one you can use to oppress others.
“bull sessions”
Inquiry: What are "bull sessions"? google definition is apparently "an informal, typically impromptu discussion, especially among a small group"