Poll: The Liberal Arts and You; The Importance of the Liberal Arts in the Modern World

[CourtneyCC]

Personally, the liberal arts are a topic that I have, until recently, disregarded. Furthermore, I would go so far as to say I would put down the idea of the liberal arts as a useless set of studies.

However, after reading a lot on the topic, and talking to quite a few people involved both in education and business, I've found that this superficially impractical group of studies is in fact deeply rooted in the fabric of what we call society.

My question to the people of this fine community;
What do you think of the liberal arts? Why do you think, in recent years, governments have indeed been cutting funding to many universities and secondary schools for their liberal arts programs, in favour of engineering, sciences, and labour related programs?

Also; how many of you all have received a liberal arts education and what do you think it has done to affect your decisions or life since?

 

[IndianaJonny]

However, after reading a lot on the topic, and talking to quite a few people involved both in education and business, I've found that this superficially impractical group of studies is in fact deeply rooted in the fabric of what we call society.

Firstly, thanks for looking, talking and recognising the balance of both sides! What is people's flag-waving obsession with the need to cry out 'art/science trumps all!!!' when this fanatical crusade for superiority of one field over the other doesn't take place in responsible academia. The telling reliance on examples of 'products' in these sort of debates reflect a wider endemic attempt to commit the cardinal sin of both fields - confusing cause and effect.

Poems, vaccines, novels, great feats of enginnering, etc. are only the end result of great inventors, artists, discoverers and creators. Anyone who does their homework into the lives of Blaise Pascal, George Mendel, Francis Bacon, Georges Seurat, Jules Verne, Ray Brabury etc.- great men (and women) throughout Art and Science history, will see that they recognised and embodied the inherrent qualities of both fields and saw no need to trumpet one field over the other.

Why? Because they recognised that both fields hold equal right to being manifest expressions of Man's imagination. Does the author who predicts the use of fibre optic cameras assault the drive and motivation of the naturalist who's bird drawings line the walls of the Natural History Museum? The wider academic community acknowledges and reflects this belief in a shared root and quality of purpose - a fact reflected in the name of one of the highest academic qualifications (shared across both fields), the PhD ('Doctor of Philosophy'). So can we stop with this inane 'our side did this, this and this and implies us better than you' that DOES NOT OCCUR in responsible academia, get off our high horses and go like this gentleman above did and learn something new, challenging and, God forbid, alternative about a field you've been bashing away at out of complete ignorance for that subject's impact on the key figures within your own 'beloved' field.

For the record, I'm in my final year of a 'Mathematics and English' bachelors. Am looking to go into Theatre Administration long-term; volunteer work so far (which has taken me as far as Canada), it's a start and I'm loving it.

 

[StBishop]

Could you give a summary or definition of the liberal arts? I'm not sure it's called that here, and I want to know what's considered a liberal art.

 

[CourtneyCC]

@IndianaJohnny
I agree wholeheartedly that both sides, liberal arts and sciences (as well as engineering) merit attention and focus on the part of academics, though I would like to say, while the sciences are a part of most great thinkers' lives, we have to keep in mind that without the perspective of a liberal arts education, one might not be able to make progress significant or relevant to the human condition. I mean to say, life is a lot bigger than you (not you in particular) and the people around you. It's much much bigger. And of course, because of that, it takes a good perspective to really understand what you can, or want, to do with your life. Yes, occasionally anomalies occur, but for the most part, without both sides, neither can flourish.
Looking all the way back to the beginning of Western education and civilization, the Greeks were mostly considered philosophers. Sure, they did do metaphysical studies and moral and ethical studies as well, but on top of that, people like Aristotle made beautiful works on Biology, physics, and sociology. The sciences have always been a part of the arts of philosophy, which is equally the parent of any other study. Philosophy, by etymology, means a love of wisdom. The broadness of the term truly encapsulates how much it really means to truly learn something.


All that nonsense being said,
Governments still seem to lack the foresight to prevent a loss of liberal education to the masses. Looking at the poll already, though I do see where people are coming from, two answers are Yes to the question of whether a Liberal Arts education is a waste of time.

I think, unless someone can provide distinct evidence of something otherwise, a push for more liberal education in schools across the world is necessary for the continued existence of the human species as we are today. Mind you, evolution of our culture in another direction might not be so bad, but it's not something I think we are prepared for.

Also,
@Ishnuvalok

Women's studies is actually fascinating. I'd not dream of majoring in it ALONE, but I'd certainly minor in it if I had the time!

 

[Metal Brother]

I studied computer science in college, and I now work in the industry. But the skills that differentiate me from the people out there who make 1/4 what I do are communication and other liberal arts skills.

P.S. I hate these stupid CAPTCHAs. I hope they're actually reducing spam...

 

[CourtneyCC]

Could you give a summary or definition of the liberal arts? I'm not sure it's called that here, and I want to know what's considered a liberal art.

The liberal arts, as I see it:

Liberal Arts defines the study and education of the human condition, and the persuit of the good life. Elements of this, in academic terms, include:
History, Language, Philosophical Thought, Theological Thought, Music and Art appreciation, and to some degree, a foundation in Mathematics, physics, and biology.

A liberal arts education is less about a focused approach to a subject, but rather contextualizing all the information you learn into the world and helping you make decisions with a wide birth of knowledge from which to pull from.

Hope that answers it! D:

 

[CourtneyCC]

I studied computer science in college, and I now work in the industry. But the skills that differentiate me from the people out there who make 1/4 what I do are communication and other liberal arts skills.

P.S. I hate these stupid CAPTCHAs. I hope they're actually reducing spam...

Agreed, wholeheartedly;
To be honest, I'm only a freshman in college, though I've got enough credits from various universities to have a bachelors degree.
But when it comes to really giving yourself the freedom to be a human being, rather than a 'human doing', a liberal arts education helps pull you up and out from being stuck with a narrow field of vision.

Personally, who I would hire for a job, theoretically, is not based on how much they know on a relevant subject, but how well they can apply it in a broader sense, to help both them, and my company or store, grow. I would rather hire a thinker than a doer, however little corporate wants that.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

At least it isn't Women's Studies.

I listened to a gender studies lecture once, while I was waiting outside the lecture theatre and the door was open, it was really weird, it was just a discussion of sterotypes backed solely by personal anecdotes. The lecture talking about how horrible her sons student fridge was, and how clean her daughters was. No reference to anything vaguely academic (Now I know this was just one lecture, and I only heard the second half of it, for about 20 minutes, but they did doing nothing to help improve my thoughts of the courses.)

I agree that liberal arts are culturally important and significant, but the problem is they do not lead directly into jobs and employment, they do not have a pronounced effect on our economy. Yes, a successful artist, poet or author can support themselves from their art, but for the numbers coming though universities, and the economy as it is, a vast majority are not going to find a use for their degree.

 

[Snake Plissken]

As a rule, I think liberal arts studies and liberal arts students are mostly worthless.

That being said, my degree is in education. Education is a field of liberal arts. I'm a little torn.

 

[CourtneyCC]

At least it isn't Women's Studies.

I listened to a gender studies lecture once, while I was waiting outside the lecture theatre and the door was open, it was really weird, it was just a discussion of sterotypes backed solely by personal anecdotes. The lecture talking about how horrible her sons student fridge was, and how clean her daughters was. No reference to anything vaguely academic (Now I know this was just one lecture, and I only heard the second half of it, for about 20 minutes, but they did doing nothing to help improve my thoughts of the courses.)

I agree that liberal arts are culturally important and significant, but the problem is they do not lead directly into jobs and employment, they do not have a pronounced effect on our economy. Yes, a successful artist, poet or author can support themselves from their art, but for the numbers coming though universities, and the economy as it is, a vast majority are not going to find a use for their degree.

This, indeed, is the problem most people see with the liberal arts.
They are looked at as a useless set of skills when it comes to being competitive in the job market.

I disagree, however, that someone couldn't find use for a liberal arts education, or degree.
For example, it's been shown that more often people with a liberal arts education get accepted to post-graduate degree programs, including medical schools. People want people with liberal arts educations, but they want them because they learn and contextualize information more quickly than someone who's been focused on one topic for their 4 year education period (or 2 year with associates.)

More and more, yes, even basic jobs are requiring degrees in various subjects, and while that may or may not be good for the individual, the economy as a whole will suffer, and the world as a whole will suffer, if liberal arts is set to the side and replaced with specialities and trade schools. Easy and quick money (even if that means over a period of a few years) does not mean consistent and comfortable life quality. I suggest that without the contextualization, you might get a job for a few years, but you'll constantly be in fear of losing it, especially when competing against NEW graduates who might be faster, or smarter, or better than you. Even worse, what if someone with a liberal arts education AND your set of skills would happen to come by? I'd worry that perhaps then, you might have reason to be concerned about getting a liberal arts degree. Not to say focuses are bad. Just saying, liberal arts are a valuable part of human existence.

 

[CourtneyCC]

As a rule, I think liberal arts studies and liberal arts students are mostly worthless.

That being said, my degree is in education. Education is a field of liberal arts. I'm a little torn.

Erm, well, as is pretty obvious, I'd have to disagree on the first bit. I think liberal arts might require one to be a little more creative and think harder to achieve something, but ease isn't really always the goal. Or I'd hope not!

 

[Aur0ra145]

I don't believe you must take liberal arts courses to be well adjusted and have a wide view of the world.

 

[Wodan]

I would love to comment but I don't think you have been clear enough on what you mean by "liberal arts".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberal_arts

What I think you are saying and what WIKI says are at odds with each other.

 

[ZombieGenesis]

If you're interested in studying it, then sure, take it as an interest.
If you think it actually counts as an academic education? You're in for some depressing disillusionment down the line.

 

[IndianaJonny]

*snip*

Ah, well if it's 'governments' you're shooting at, no disagreements here. But when cuts need to be made, the Arts are the first to go. Take for example the recent mass-closure of many libraries up and down the UK; a crying shame. The trouble with the liberal arts as far as 'policy' is concerned is that the 'impact' of the Arts is a hard thing to measure. There's general recognition that we need the Arts but even the advocates can't agree on why.

Generally, policy towards the Arts is short-sighted, though this attitude extends to other areas such as Health when you realise a government has to make a visible impact before the next election. Hence for the suggestion of closing/reopening educational/medical departments as and when they become financially profitable refuses to take into account that the repuation and quality of such establishments depends on how long they have been running so far. You can't simply close down a History department after 36 years of uninterrupted teaching, wait 14 years, open it up again and expect the same level of teaching you had before.

 

[StBishop]

I'm still not quite certain I understand the term but I don't think an Arts degree is less valuable than a sciences degree. I don't think I've answered the question though.

 

[Silva]

Don't listen to people who say that the Liberal Arts are a waste of time. They're embroiled in a social conflict between faculties and methods of thinking that has probably fundamentally slowed the progress of human thought and enlightenment.

To say that "Liberal Arts students are worthless" is quite simply a display of prejudice. Yes, it is as bad as saying black people are worthless. You're generalising with no real reason to do so.

We are born into Liberal Arts families in a similar way to how we're born into our skin. Yes, we can go into engineering or science or what-have-you from any household, but it's both more difficult and less likely that one would want to, naturally (as no doubt it would be going in the other direction from a family of scientists or engineers).

The Arts have a huge impact in our society, particularly in the operation of the public service in democracies. The humanities are getting increasingly applied to the private sector as well, and they should be.

Do those who say the Liberal Arts are useless really think that a Prime Minister who doubles as a historian due to his or her Liberal Arts training wouldn't benefit from knowing what happened to past ministers in similar situations? They could use this knowledge to the good of the nation they lead.

The same can be said all the way down to the common office worker, street cleaner or garbage collector. The Arts enrich our lives, and empower us with knowledge about other people. They have a very important place in humanity's progress into the future.

Originally I studied website design, now I also hold a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Writing. The great thing about an Arts degree is that it can improve skills that are helpful in other professions, as well as providing a few professions itself directly (teaching, social work, the public service, etc). My degree has particularly helped me on my journey into journalism, since I plan to start a cadetship with my degree as the starting point.

 

[Caer Seraphim]

Third choice. As a major, it's a really, really stupid idea, because with government support for college kids, it artificially increases the number of kids who go into college not knowing what they want to do and going for worthless degrees because the market for specialists in those fields is way over-saturated. Leaves 'em hopeless afterward. However, as a secondary focus of higher education, it actually makes sense to aim for a broader understanding of "liberal" knowledge. If they were costed more based on what they're worth, it would make a lot more sense. As it stands, the cost between credit hours, or full time enrollment, is static, which again artificially boost the enrollment in these overall less demanding courses.

 

[dogenzakaminion]

At least it isn't Women's Studies.

I listened to a gender studies lecture once, while I was waiting outside the lecture theatre and the door was open, it was really weird, it was just a discussion of sterotypes backed solely by personal anecdotes. The lecture talking about how horrible her sons student fridge was, and how clean her daughters was. No reference to anything vaguely academic (Now I know this was just one lecture, and I only heard the second half of it, for about 20 minutes, but they did doing nothing to help improve my thoughts of the courses.)

I agree that liberal arts are culturally important and significant, but the problem is they do not lead directly into jobs and employment, they do not have a pronounced effect on our economy. Yes, a successful artist, poet or author can support themselves from their art, but for the numbers coming though universities, and the economy as it is, a vast majority are not going to find a use for their degree.

This, indeed, is the problem most people see with the liberal arts.
They are looked at as a useless set of skills when it comes to being competitive in the job market.

I disagree, however, that someone couldn't find use for a liberal arts education, or degree.
For example, it's been shown that more often people with a liberal arts education get accepted to post-graduate degree programs, including medical schools. People want people with liberal arts educations, but they want them because they learn and contextualize information more quickly than someone who's been focused on one topic for their 4 year education period (or 2 year with associates.)

More and more, yes, even basic jobs are requiring degrees in various subjects, and while that may or may not be good for the individual, the economy as a whole will suffer, and the world as a whole will suffer, if liberal arts is set to the side and replaced with specialities and trade schools. Easy and quick money (even if that means over a period of a few years) does not mean consistent and comfortable life quality. I suggest that without the contextualization, you might get a job for a few years, but you'll constantly be in fear of losing it, especially when competing against NEW graduates who might be faster, or smarter, or better than you. Even worse, what if someone with a liberal arts education AND your set of skills would happen to come by? I'd worry that perhaps then, you might have reason to be concerned about getting a liberal arts degree. Not to say focuses are bad. Just saying, liberal arts are a valuable part of human existence.

So you're saying that liberal arts degrees help people get other degrees, that specialize them for a job or field? Besides there are tons of degrees that offer contextualization or broad views that aren't part of the liberal arts and are not made for a specific job or simple money making. I study human geography, which looks at problems relating to development, population, economics, politics and culture from a geographic point of view. There's no position called "human geographer", but in a job I might get, I could apply a lot of different knowledge. The same goes for International Politics or even Economics.

Also, I don't know where you live, but is liberal arts not doing well? At my Uni (the University of Oslo), the Humanities Faculty who deals with all that stuff is the biggest of them all and the arts are always appreciated.

 

[Zaik]

I don't particularly care one way or the other(there's still worse degrees as far as relevance goes), but looking at it from the government's perspective, every engineer, scientist, and other laborer actually keeps the economy going, while liberal arts is a money hole with no purpose.

I don't personally feel it needs to be cut before the pathetic nonsense known as a "Business Degree", i.e. follow instructions and know how to use Powerpoint and Excel. Still, I'm all for the government starting to move away from throwing buckets of money in the toilet, shitting all over it, and flushing it down.