Carly Fiorina Understands Medieval Thinking

Carly Fiorina:

For over three decades, Carly Fiorina’s bachelor’s degree from Stanford University in medieval history and philosophy has had little real-world application.

But as she mounts a presidential bid, the Republican candidate says her degree is finally of use as she considers how she would deal with ISIS as commander-in-chief.

“Finally my degree in medieval history and philosophy has come in handy,” Fiorina said Sunday night, “because what ISIS wants to do is drive us back to the Middle Ages, literally.”

Fiorina misses the point. ISIS' use of garish punishments reflects a modern sensibility, not a medieval one. As Foucault notes, through most of history, the entire point of punishment was suffering in public . There isn't much suffering with beheadings. The Enlightenment brought us that.

It's likely Fiorina studied Scholasticism, wherein Medievals tried to answer questions like; Why do insects have six legs and spiders eight when four are usually considered adequate for the glorification of God? Such a course of study is fine, but not usually considered leadership preparation.