Due to low birth rate, Japan abolishes social sciences, STEM for all.

[garbon]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

[Martinus]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

Ok...?

[Hamilcar]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

Psychology is mostly studied by students who either don't know why they are at university, or failed out of other subjects.

[Malthus]

Social sciences give us the capacity for self-reflection, so it's hardly a surprise that any government with authoritarian tendencies would want to abolish those - it is much easier to rule cattle, even if that cattle can do math.

Somehow I think people are capable of self-reflection even if they didn't major in the social sciences.

Journalists, sociologists, philosophers etc. provide us with data for that. Without knowing ourselves - as a society, as a nation, as a group etc. - we are not capable of self reflection because we are in the dark. All that is left then is the cacophony of social media and infotainment - that can be chaotic at best and completely manipulated by those in power at worst.

I don't think anybody is saying let's abolish all social sciences.  But the point is, we don't have infinite resources and more social sciences may not be an optimal allocation of resources.  Why do you think you know more about the Japanese if they have the right amount of social science courses?

The problem is the government attempting to "pick winners" by such a blunt tool, rather than allowing students to sink or swim based on their individual choices.

Now granted that students often make terrible choices - but they all make different choices. Governments (everywhere) make terrible choices too, but in this case they are choosing to limit the options available to individuals - if they are wrong, the consequences are a lot more severe than individual students making bad choices: Japan deprived of students in whole sections of academics. If those studies happen to contribute in some way to success, Japan will lose out.

Lots of academic work doesn't appear to contribute directly to success, even in the STEM fields. However, it may contribute indirectly in all sorts of ways. That's why indulging basic human curiousity and creativity is a sound idea, rather than focussing to narrowly on what makes money short-term. 

[garbon]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

Psychology is mostly studied by students who either don't know why they are at university, or failed out of other subjects.

Rude!

[Hamilcar]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

Psychology is mostly studied by students who either don't know why they are at university, or failed out of other subjects.

Rude!

How does that make you feel?

[DGuller]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

According to whom?  Psychologists?

[Valmy]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

According to whom?  Psychologists?

My father was a very successful psychologist and he was successful precisely because he knew it was not a science. Well I guess 'is' he still does some work despite being retired.

[The Brain]

The government could take its hand from higher education.

[garbon]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

According to whom?  Psychologists?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/STEM_fields

STEM-eligible degrees in US immigration
For more details on Temporary foreign workers, see Global labor arbitrage, H-1B visa, and Optional Practical Training.

An exhaustive list of STEM disciplines does not exist because the definition varies by organization. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement lists disciplines including physics, actuarial science, chemistry, biology, mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics, computer science, computational science, psychology, biochemistry, robotics, computer engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, mechanical engineering, industrial engineering, information science, civil engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, astrophysics, astronomy, optics, nanotechnology, nuclear physics, mathematical biology, operations research, neurobiology, biomechanics, bioinformatics, acoustical engineering, geographic information systems, atmospheric sciences, educational/instructional technology, software engineering, and educational research.

And then yes among psychs:

http://www.apa.org/pubs/info/reports/stem-discipline.aspx

The goal of this report is to review the current status of psychology as a STEM discipline, articulate the problem of inconsistent recognition of psychology as a core STEM discipline, provide a rationale for consistent recognition of psychology as a STEM discipline, and recommend specific actions to achieve this goal.

[garbon]

Isn't psychology both a social science and STEM?

Psychology is mostly studied by students who either don't know why they are at university, or failed out of other subjects.

Rude!

How does that make you feel?

It makes me feel that you said something rude?

[The Brain]

Voodoo is STEM.

[Fate]

I'd consider PHD psychologists with prescribing authority to be on par with psychiatrists in STEMiness. The pure talk therapy guys aren't using nearly as much evidence based medicine in their day to day practice.

[Valmy]

The pure talk therapy guys aren't using much evidence based medicine in their day to day practice.

Well they do have tests and other various things that do have methodologies.

[garbon]

Actually here's the national science foundation.

http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/sei/edTool/data/college-12.html

Social sciences/psychology was the second largest field, accounting for 33% of all S&E [Science & Engineering] associate's degrees conferred.