Gilbert, I'm not sure I'm following when you say "higher education should be in large part related to knowing facts."

I agree that "facts" are part of the foundation of a field -- the texts of Shakespeare, the details in the periodic table, the power curve for an engine. But those seem to me to fall short of "higher." E.g., a knowledge of facts tells me that on average each of Shakespeare's sonnets uses seven words not used in any of the other sonnets. What does that say about appreciation for the context, for the artistry, for the use of the form?