Book · 2018 · Education, aims and objectives
The Case against Education
Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan has been mentioned in 8 episodes across 4 podcasts (1 episode recommends it and 7 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Dwarkesh Patel (3 episodes), Stephen Dubner (3 episodes) and Marc Andreessen (1 episode) on Dwarkesh Podcast (3 episodes), Freakonomics Radio (3 episodes) and My First Million (1 episode).
- episodes
- 8
- podcasts
- 4
- people
- 3
- episode recommends it
- 1
The economist Brian Caplan in a book called The Case Against Education argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal—a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring, worth being friends with, perhaps worth being intimidated by.
Questions about The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan
Who has discussed The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan on podcasts?
No speaker in our archive has explicitly recommended The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan; Dwarkesh Patel (3 episodes), Stephen Dubner (3 episodes) and Marc Andreessen (1 episode) have discussed it across 4 podcasts (3 people in all).
Which podcasts mention The Case against Education the most?
Dwarkesh Podcast (3 episodes), Freakonomics Radio (3 episodes), My First Million (1 episode) and The Ben & Marc Show (1 episode).
Is The Case against Education recommended, or only discussed?
The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan was recommended in 1 episode and discussed without a recommendation in 7 episodes, as of 2024-08-22.
What do people say about The Case against Education?
Mentioned on Freakonomics Radio (2024-08-22): "The economist Brian Caplan in a book called The Case Against Education argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal, a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring, worth being friends with, perhaps worth being intimidated by."
When was The Case against Education last mentioned on a podcast?
The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan was last discussed on Freakonomics Radio by Stephen Dubner on 2024-08-22.
What they say about it
- Argues education is a waste“waste of time and money”3
- Discussed by Stephen Dubner“you wrote a book”3
The best things said about it
You wrote a book called The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money.
Stephen Dubner Freakonomics Radio · Apr 2024 Um so so this is a very interesting topic and actually a lot of I know on this I learned from there's an economist named Brian Kaplan who's written a book called like the book is he's a he's a 10ar university professor at George Mason University he spent his life in Academia um but he gave his book a.
Marc Andreessen The Ben & Marc Show · Jan 2024 If you're Bryan Caplan in The Case against Education.
I just read a great book called The Case against Education that kind of breaks this down and it's really interesting.
Where and when it comes up
Most episodes, by podcast
Why people recommend it
The Case against Education by Bryan Caplan is an economic critique arguing that the modern education system is largely a waste of time and money because higher education functions primarily as a social signal for employers. On Freakonomics Radio, host Stephen Dubner repeatedly discussed the book with Bryan Caplan, examining the controversial thesis that college degrees act as credentials to signal hireability and worth rather than imparting practical human capital. On The Ben & Marc Show, Ben Horowitz referenced Caplan's academic background and the economic concepts of higher education discussed in his research. On the My First Million podcast, a guest mentioned reading the book while discussing the broken state of traditional education and exploring ideas for alternative learning models for entrepreneurship. Furthermore, on the Dwarkesh Podcast, Dwarkesh Patel brought up Caplan's book while conversing with Tyler Cowen about related arguments surrounding talent, labor markets, and the broader social signaling mechanics of schooling.
Every mention
Dwarkesh Patel Now, the way I read your book about talent, it seems like also a critique of Brian's book, The Case Case Ag… 3
“Now, the way I read your book about talent, it seems like also a critique of Brian's book, The Case Case Against Education.”
“And that concerns me because educational attainment also probably correlates with other things that somebody might want or they might not want which are conscientiousness and conformity which is you know if you're Brian Kaplan in the case against education”
“so brian kaplan who was actually my first guest on this podcast he wrote a book called cases against education and uh he homeschools his own kids”
Stephen Dubner so Brian few years ago you wrote a book called the case against education why the education system is a was… 3
“The Economist Brian Kaplan in a book called the case against education argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring worth being friends with perhaps worth being intimidated by in kaplan's view”
“so Brian few years ago you wrote a book called the case against education why the education system is a waste of time and money”
“so Brian a few years ago you wrote a book called the case against education why the education system is a waste of time and money”
Marc Andreessen um so so this is a very interesting topic and actually a lot of I know on this I learned from there's an ec… 1
“um so so this is a very interesting topic and actually a lot of I know on this I learned from there's an economist named Brian Kaplan who's written a book called like the book is he's a he's a 10ar university professor at George Mason University he spent his life in Academia um but he gave his book a”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker3
“The economist Brian Kaplan in a book called "The Case Against Education" argues that one major function of a college degree is to act as a social signal—a way to tell the world that you are worth hiring, worth being friends with, perhaps worth being intimidated by. In Kaplan’s view, this has driven a kind of credential inflation, where more”
“and like I just read a great book called the case against education that kind of breaks this down and it's really interesting”
“So, Brian, a few years ago, you wrote a book called "The Case Against Education: Why the Education System is a Waste of Time and Money."”
Other mentions (2: passing, ad reads, own books)
“So, I have a book called The Case Against Education.”
“so just to back up elio so when I say in the case in that case against education is that the main reason why education pays the labor market is not that you learn useful job skills but rather that you get a stamp on your forehead certifying you as a high quality worker”