Final answer:
True, written prescriptions must be signed by the physician. Academic textbooks can be viewed as metaphorical prescriptions for education, requiring thoughtful consideration of cost and necessity, much like medical prescriptions. Alternatives like open educational resources offer cost-effective and relevant materials for students.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, written prescriptions must indeed be signed by the physicion. This holds true generally as a means of ensuring that the medical professional has authenticated the order for medication or treatment. In the academic sphere, however, an academic doctor might prescribe textbooks as a metaphorical treatment for improving one's knowledge and education. Clearly, this approach can lead to reflection about the actual usefulness and cost-effectiveness of such textbook prescriptions to students. In the context of medicine, efficacy, cost, and patient need are critical when prescribing, and similarly, when an instructor selects textbooks, they should consider the students' need for affordable and relevant materials. The question then becomes, are there alternatives that could serve as a better academic prescription for student success without the burden of high costs? The digital age brings various educational resources, such as open educational resources (OERs), that can be seen as a remedy for overpriced textbooks that traditionally haven't fully addressed students' needs.