What are your thoughts on Bryan Caplan's Case Against Education?

"Both sculptors and appraisers have the power to raise the market value of a piece of stone. The sculptor raises the market value... by shaping it. The appraiser raises the market value... by judging it. Teachers need to ask ourselves: 'How much of what we do is sculpting, and how much is appraising?'"

Caplan argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students' skills but to certify their intelligence, conscientiousness, and conformity—attributes that are valued by employers. He ultimately estimates that approximately 80% of individuals' return to education is the result of signaling, with the remainder due to human capital accumulation.

Caplan advocates two major policy responses to the problem of signaling in education:

1. Educational austerity
2. Increased vocational education

The first recommendation is that government needs to sharply cut education funding, since public education spending in the United States across all levels tops $1 trillion annually.^\12]) The second recommendation is to encourage greater vocational education, because students who are unlikely to succeed in college should develop practical skills to function in the labor market. Caplan argues for an increased emphasis on vocational education that is similar in nature to the systems in Germany^\13]) and Switzerland.^\14])^\15])

^{To be clear. Bryan Caplan is an anarchist, however he thinks good policies come from economic growth which comes from good policies.}

Submitted May 30, 2026 at 09:48PM by Certain-Mind8119 https://ift.tt/VOe0Pvl