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Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters
Liberal education in today society
Liberal education in today society
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In Defense of a Liberal Education by Fareed Zakaria. Chapter one, coming to America touches on the authors personal experiences with Liberal Education. He tells his background of getting into college and the differences in college in America and college where he is from. Zakaria is from India, He eventually moved on to attend Yale university and major in History. His parents both started small and moved up in the education world, and they never was up his butt about specializing in something to do with his career.
The fourth misperception that he tries to correct is that people think that study of science and math have more topic to cover than liberal arts education. Ungar proves them wrong by saying that liberal arts is a broad concept and covers almost all the field of education. In the fifth point, he suggests that there is no relationship between liberal democrats and liberal arts education. Furthermore, he explains that “liberal arts promotes the idea of listening to all point of view and not relying on a single ideology”(Ungar, 230). In other words, liberal arts education involve lots of critical thinking about a subject.
Summary In chapter three “In the defense of a Liberal Education” author Fareed Zakaria opens up what he believes to be “central virtue of liberal education”(72). He writes that it teaches one how to think critically and clearly. He explains that thinking is the stronger advantage one could have in writing well. Before writing it helps first people to think in a critical sense so work should be using simple language in a well comprehendible way.
Wallace concludes his speech by claiming the real value of education is not knowledge, but being aware of what is real. Wallace’s main claim about a liberal arts education, that it exists to teach students how to think, is incorrect; however, he is correct to say that the same experience can mean two different things to two different people, and that learning how to think is being aware of how to exercise control over how you
When William Cronon, a renowned environmental historian, penned Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists, and the Ecology of New England, he wanted to bring awareness to the ecological effects of the European’s arrival to New England. Many history books focus exclusively on the people, towns, governments, religions, and so on in pre-Colonial New England; however, the thesis of Cronon’s book, which was originally published in 1983, was to show that we can analyze what changes happened to the plants and animals of New England as the settlers gained power and supremacy over the area once occupied by none other than the Native Americans. As stated in the beginning of the book, “the shift from Indian to European dominance in New England entailed important changes—well known to historians—in the ways these
The article, “Why we undervalue a liberal arts education” By Adam Chapnick written on March 6, 2013 is informative and insightful because the author talks about the importance of not undervaluing liberal arts. Chapnick tells you that at the end of the day science, technology, engineering and mathematics is what is really important. One of Adam Chapnick main idea is that the large public does not get the value of liberal arts. That it has no money value, it is just important.
Liz Addison’s essay, “Two Years Better Than Four,” was first published in the New York Times Magazine back in September of 2007. Addison went to two community colleges and majored in biology; earning her degree in 2008. In her essay, she is responding to Rick Perlstein's article “What’s the Matter with College?” in which he claims, “College as America used to understand it is coming to an end” (211). Addison refutes Perlstein’s claims by saying, “My guess, reading between the lines, is that Mr. Perlstein has never set foot in an American community college” (212).
First let me define what I think a liberally educated person is. In theory, a liberally educated person is someone who has received a well-rounded education, but I consider it to be more defined than that. I believe a liberally educated person is simply someone who is constantly using their skills to improve themselves and their communities. In order to do this, you need to have some sort of education. When you want to become a better writer, you study great writers, when you want to become a better artist, you study great artist, and so if you want to become a better person, a liberally educated person, you study great heroes, superheroes.
Shorris was researching for a book on poverty, and he was influenced into completing an experiment where he would teach the liberal arts to the impoverished. His central claim is that the liberal arts teaches the poor how to succeed in a political—as Thucydides defines it—society. Edmundson and Shorris both write essays on liberal education and contemporary culture; however, both authors come to different conclusions. While Edmundson decides that liberal education has become useless in today’s culture, Shorris documents how a liberal education has changed the lives of sixteen people. Shorris’ essay includes a younger generation that does have passion—this is opposed to Edmundson describing an entire generation as generally passionless.
One specific item that was brought to my attention from the article was the purpose of the liberal arts education, and the “requirements” as noted from an institution but interpreted in my understanding. It is competency in communication, using the modes of thought characteristic of the major areas of knowledge, a knowledge of our basic cultural heritage, and a thorough understanding of at least one subject area (Cronon, W., 1998). My interpretation of this would be agreeing on the importance/competency of communication, but emphasizing the knowledge of culture as it applies from a global perspective, critical thinking as it should be applied and accentuating the understanding of at least one subject area. After reading the article, my understanding of the meaning of a liberal arts education, is heightened by the learning outcomes and prominence of the breadth areas as they are applied to my knowledge and life
The general argument made by author Charles Murray in his article, “Are too many people go to college,” is that the college is not necessary for everyone. More specifically, the Murray argues that students who went to school should have learned the core knowledge they will learn in the college. He writes, “ K-8 are the right years to teach the core knowledge, and the effort should get off to a running start in elementary school” (236). In this passage, Murray is suggesting that start teaching the core knowledge in elementary school until high school is better than to spend money and more time to the college. It is not important to go to college.
“3 Reasons College Still Matters” by Andrew Delbanco 3) “Surely, every American college ought to defend this waning possibility, whatever we call it. And an American college is only true to itself when it opens its doors to all - the rich, the middle, and the poor - who have the capacity to embrace the precious chance to think and reflect before life engulfs them. If we are all serious about democracy, that means everyone.” 4) In this part of the writing Andrew Delbanco tries to persuade his audience by using the pattern of logic that agrees with the overall argument but also considers another striking point of view to strengthen the argument (While these arguments are convincing, they must also consider…).
Is college still important and relevant? The question is answered and confirmed when Liz Addison, author of “Two Years Are Better than Four”, wrote a counter argument in order to disprove the opposing views of Rick Perlstein, the author of, “What’s the Matter with College”. The topic that is being brought to light is the subject of whether or not college still matters. Perlstein that college is no longer what it used to be. It was after reading Perlstein’s article that Addison masterfully wrote her counter argument which successfully contradicted the opinionated, inaccurate views of Rick Perlstein.
Next, I framed and presented my argument by explaining the controversy on core, clarifying the purpose of core, presenting objections to the core, and explaining possible frustration from being opposed. Through the development of my argument, I attempted to persuade the reader that the requirements exhibit a beneficial purpose, and a liberal arts education is an advantage in post-college life. To evoke credibility in the presentation of my argument, I effectively established ethos by sharing how my perspective has changed, and by using Calvin 's resources to support my position. Likewise, I acknowledged counter arguments to verify my consideration of both sides of the controversy with my audience.
In Charles Murray’s essay “Are Too Many People Going to College,” he believes that the concept of college has changed over the years. According to him, a four-year college is no longer as necessary as it was when it was first created because most jobs requires more on job training. He also adds to his reasoning by mentioning that because of the advancement of internet, physical libraries and the physical proximity of student and teachers is less important. Because of the changes he noticed he believes that people should go to college but not for liberal education. He makes the claim that the basic core knowledge of liberal education should be learned in elementary and middle school and that only people with high academic abilities should be encouraged to go to college.
