Since this thread will not progress unless I edit the question in the original post:
Where did the externally provided criteria of greatness come from, why is it authoritative?
=== Old post follows, please disregard ===
Branching off of the Terror -> Police States thread.
What is the objective definition of the subjective term "great"?
SF feeels that because a group of experts got together and decided that FDR was great, he must be because ... ?
I feel that "great" is a subjective term, and that no matter what you get a PhD in, you will still be making a subjective statement when you say someone is great.
These are all the degree programs offered by Yale, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States, possibly the world. Perhaps one of them can make someone an expert on objective subjective determinations.
Bachelors.
African American Studies (B.A.), African Studies (B.A.), American Studies (B.A.), Anthropology (B.A.), Applied Mathematics (B.A. or B.S.), Applied Physics (B.A. or B.S.), Archaeological Studies (B.A.), Architecture (B.A.), Art (B.A.), Astronomy (B.A.), Astronomy and Physics (B.S.), Biology (B.A. or B.S.), Chemistry (B.A. or B.S.), Chinese (B.A.), Classical Civilization (B.A.), Classics (Greek) (B.A.), Classics (Greek and Latin) (B.A.), Classics (Latin) (B.A.), Cognitive Science (B.A.), Computer Science (B.A. or B.S.), Computer Science and Mathematics (B.A. or B.S.), Computer Science and Psychology (B.A.), East Asian Studies (B.A.), Economics (B.A.), Economics and Mathematics (B.A.), Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (B.S.), Engineering: Biomedical Engineering (B.S.), Chemical Engineering (B.S.), Electrical Engineering (B.S.), Engineering Sciences (Chemical) (B.S.), Engineering Sciences (Electrical, Environmental, or Mechanical) (B.A. or B.S.), Environmental Engineering (B.S.), Mechanical Engineering (B.S.), English (B.A.), Environmental Studies (B.A.), Ethics, Politics, and Economics (B.A.), Ethnicity, Race, and Migration* (second major only), Film Studies (B.A.), French (B.A.), Geology and Geophysics (B.A. or B.S.), German (B.A.), German Studies (B.A.), Greek, Ancient and Modern (B.A.), History (B.A.), History of Art (B.A.), History of Science, History of Medicine (B.A.), Humanities (B.A.), International Studies* (second major only), Italian (B.A.), Japanese (B.A.), Judaic Studies (B.A.), Latin American Studies (B.A.), Linguistics (B.A.), Literature (B.A.), Mathematics (B.A. or B.S.), Mathematics and Philosophy (B.A.), Mathematics and Physics (B.A. or B.S.), Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (B.A. or B.S.), Music (B.A.), Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations (B.A.), Philosophy (B.A.), Physics (B.S.), Physics and Philosophy (B.A.), Political Science (B.A.), Portuguese (B.A.), Psychology (B.A.), Religious Studies (B.A.), Renaissance Studies (B.A.), Russian (B.A.), Russian and East European Studies (B.A.), Sociology (B.A.), Spanish (B.A.), Special Divisional Major (B.A. or B.S.), Theater Studies (B.A.), Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (B.A.).
Yale University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
African American Studies, Ph.D. (combined degree only). African Studies, M.A. American Studies, M.A./Ph.D. Anthropology, Ph.D. Applied Mathematics, M.S./Ph.D. Archaeological Studies, M.A. Astronomy, Ph.D. Biological & Biomedical Sciences (BBS), Ph.D. Chemistry, Ph.D. Classics, Ph.D. Comparative Literature, Ph.D. Computer Science, M.S./Ph.D. East Asian Languages & Literatures, Ph.D. East Asian Studies, M.A. Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Ph.D. Economics, Ph.D. Engineering & Applied Science, M.S./Ph.D. English Language & Literature, M.A./Ph.D. Epidemiology & Public Health, M.S./Ph.D. European & Russian Studies, M.A. Film Studies, Ph.D. (combined degree only). Forestry & Environmental Studies, Ph.D. French, Ph.D. Geology & Geophysics, Ph.D. Germanic Languages & Literatures, M.A./Ph.D. History, M.A./Ph.D. History of Art, Ph.D. History of Medicine & Science, M.A./Ph.D. International & Development Economics, M.A. International Relations, M.A. Investigative Medicine, Ph.D. Italian Language & Literature, Ph.D. Linguistics, Ph.D. Management, Ph.D. Mathematics, M.S./Ph.D. Medieval Studies, M.A./Ph.D. Music, M.A./Ph.D. Near Eastern Languages & Civilizations, M.A./Ph.D. Philosophy, Ph.D. Physics, Ph.D. Political Science, Ph.D. Psychology, Ph.D. Religious Studies, Ph.D. Renaissance Studies, Ph.D. (combined degree only). Slavic Languages & Literatures, M.A./Ph.D. Sociology, Ph.D. Spanish & Portuguese, Ph.D. Statistics, M.A./Ph.D. Urban Education Studies, M.A.
Then they have a School of Architecture offering various degrees in Architecture, a school of Art offering various degrees in various arts, a divinity school which can enable one to become ordained, an institute of sacred music, a school of drama, a faculty of engineering, a school of music, a School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, a school of Law that postiviely makes me drool, a school of management, a school of medicine, and a school of nursing.