The thrust of David Epstein’s Range is that society overvalues specialization.
Epstein argues that starting a specialized path early and doggedly sticking to it may not be as rewarding as trying a variety of things and quitting the unfulfilling ones.
Range suggests that, in a world in which information is more widely available than it has ever been, universities and schools should discourage early specialization and teach young people how to manipulate and use information instead.
“Despite spending most of the book championing the virtues of a generalist approach, Epstein concedes that specialists are needed too, with Einstein himself used as a striking example. This makes his argument less radical than he presents it to be,” said a review published tes.com.
“While it is true that implementation is not always effective, the benefits of a broad, balanced education are fairly widely recognized, accounting for the wide-ranging content of most school timetables, the popularity of joint honors degrees and the enduring prestige of MBAs,” said the review.
