Synthesized answer
The provided passages do not contain information that explicitly states the central thesis of "The Higher Learning in America" by Thorstein Veblen.
While the passages identify the title, author, and general subject matter (Education, Higher), they do not offer any summary of Veblen's arguments or his core proposition for the book. Therefore, it is not possible to determine the central thesis based solely on this information.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: The Higher Learning in America by Thorstein Veblen Categories: Education, Higher Pages: 304