Liberal Arts Education: Martha Nussbaum And Aurelius Augustinus

Liberal arts education has evolved throughout time. Many individuals have written on their views for education for their time showing the evolution of the liberal arts. The two authors I will be referring to in this paper is Martha Nussbaum and Aurelius Augustinus. By examining both authors we can see the evolution while still seeing the ideals that have withstood the test of times. These two authors where expressing their ideas in drastically different time periods, yet they still express similar goals for education. Nussbaum bringing the more modern approach to liberal education is expressing ideas that are looking to better the world society. Augustine writing in 426, expressed his views on the purpose for learning and how it should be

52) by making this statement he is privileging the liberal arts over all other forms of education as being the most suitable to educate students to become citizens who know the actuality of things and not just what may be superficially false. The liberal arts cross many disciplines meaning that a liberal arts educated mind will inherently be able to find the validity and value of any thing that is set in front of them. Other educations focused primarily on just numbers or history “do not seek to learn the source of the truths” (pg. 51). Thus, this argument puts the liberal arts at the forefront of

Augustine states that liberal arts are the best suited for “useful precepts concerning morals” (pg. 52). This is an essential benefit of the liberal arts when talking about the social benefits that it brings. Augustine saw morality as living the way God would want you to and by attaining a liberal arts education you would be better prepared to know right from wrong and how to actually do what is moral. Nussbaum’s view of liberal arts creating a more moral person comes in the form of being educated about other cultures. She argues that children learn their differences and to cause conflict with other people as they grow older. In other words, they learn their emotions from the things around them. So, if a child is exposed to liberal arts they will better understand other cultures and they will “feel concern and respond with sympathy” (pg. 36). This would cause less conflict in society. With more liberal arts education we would have a more understanding