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Also, to emphasize and expand on 'critical thinking', liberal arts teaches you to question ideas and assumptions, your own and others', to be open minded to and

Also, to emphasize and expand on 'critical thinking', liberal arts teaches you to question ideas and assumptions, your own and others', to be open minded to and assimilate new concepts, and to communicate well. > Instead of "learning to think" and being prepared for a fictional career in academia This is overstated. I expect that the great majority of high-paying jobs are held by people with liberal arts degrees. The idea that they are worthless in the job market is a popular exaggeration, but wrong.

ritchiea 12y ago
I was not suggesting that liberal arts degrees are worthless, I have one. It's been extremely valuable. What I mean is: part of liberal arts education, especially at the most liberal artsy institutions (University of Chicago, Swarthmore, Reed, etc) is specifically training you the tools of an academic discipline. In its highest aims, the new university pitched in the article aims to keep the best of the liberal arts education (teaching you good thinking) and throw out the rot (teaching you a specific academic discipline).
- hackuser 12y ago
  Sorry if I misunderstood you. > part of liberal arts education, especially at the most liberal artsy institutions (University of Chicago, Swarthmore, Reed, etc) is specifically training you the tools of an academic discipline Having no expertise in this area myself ... I agree that learning how to be a professional academic is not widely valuable. However, I suspect there is value in focusing on an academic discipline. The thinking required for academic disciplines -- especially in regard to creating new knowledge -- may differ from more practical ones, and learning something in depth differs from learning in more superficial breadth. It may not matter so much what you learn, as long as you study something in depth. Finally, it may prepare you well for graduate school, which is much more common than academic careers.

ritchiea 12y ago

I was not suggesting that liberal arts degrees are worthless, I have one. It's been extremely valuable. What I mean is: part of liberal arts education, especially at the most liberal artsy institutions (University of Chicago, Swarthmore, Reed, etc) is specifically training you the tools of an academic discipline. In its highest aims, the new university pitched in the article aims to keep the best of the liberal arts education (teaching you good thinking) and throw out the rot (teaching you a specific academic discipline).

hackuser 12y ago
Sorry if I misunderstood you. > part of liberal arts education, especially at the most liberal artsy institutions (University of Chicago, Swarthmore, Reed, etc) is specifically training you the tools of an academic discipline Having no expertise in this area myself ... I agree that learning how to be a professional academic is not widely valuable. However, I suspect there is value in focusing on an academic discipline. The thinking required for academic disciplines -- especially in regard to creating new knowledge -- may differ from more practical ones, and learning something in depth differs from learning in more superficial breadth. It may not matter so much what you learn, as long as you study something in depth. Finally, it may prepare you well for graduate school, which is much more common than academic careers.