Housman's Introductory Lecture
Summary
Housman challenges utilitarian views of education and argues that knowledge has intrinsic value beyond practical utility. He critiques the dominance of science as the sole measure of learning and contends that the humanities also cultivate judgment and taste, though they do not by themselves transform character. The speech advocates pursuing knowledge for its own sake, balanced with practical concerns, and uses Milton, Shakespeare, and Bentley to illustrate the limits and potential of classical training.