Professor Argues ‘BS’ Holds Educational Value

Prof. Jim Carifio

Prof. Jim Carifio says there can be a lot of value in the practice of “good old-fashioned BS-ing.” 

That’s the main contention in an article he published recently with his colleague, Dr. Rocco Perla in the Journal of Social Sciences.

In the article, “Inciting Striving Speech (i.e., BS) and Imperfect Dialogical Exchanges Is Exactly What Is Needed in Higher Education Today,” Carifio makes the case that there is a tried-and-true way of promoting diversity, discovery and understanding between students and professors that is often overlooked.

The secret is called “striving speech and imperfect dialogue exchanges” which really boils down to BS-ing.  In his research, he also points to a great value in BS-ing between people who are different from each other in various ways.  “These could be the ultimate ‘interdisciplary conversations’ educationally,” he says.   

The abstract of their paper says, “Harry Frankfurt, the American moral philosopher, as well as his many advocates, has initiated a growing movement for eliminating BS from our culture and classrooms.  This article argues that BS and BS-ing are key and critical components to both social and intellectual development.”

Carifio’s article also reviews and summarizes other research and theories on related issues as they pertain to higher education today. 

For more information on his research, please contact James_Carifio@uml.edu.  The article can be viewed in its entirety at www.scipub.org/fulltext/jss/jss4168-74.pdf.

- Jennifer_Hanson