One longheld tenet of a liberal arts education is the belief in its civilizing effect: an educated populace is one that can deal with difficult situations and choices in ways that don’t tear at the very fabric of society. This conviction is based on the assumption that a well-educated person can see the grey areas in arguments that elude a less-educated person. It also assumes that well-educated people simply behave better. Do you agree?
In the readings for this unit, which build on what you’ve already read, you saw two snapshots of two very different demographics. One was of a group of students at one of our elite research universities; the other was a group of people who would probably be rejected by any respected four-year college. What did you notice about how they responded to the opportunity to engage in big ideas and enduring questions? You also read an essay by Brooks in which he questioned the practical role of the liberal arts in society.
For this assignment, I want you to attempt to address the apparent gap between what the liberal arts promise and what they seem to deliver in many cases. Some of the questions you may wish to consider in framing your argument are
What is the relationship between a desire for knowledge and the ability of knowledge to change society for the better?
How necessary is it to position the liberal arts within a moral framework, and what are the effects when they are taught in a moral vacuum?
Is it reasonable to expect the liberal arts to create “good citizens,” and what is essential to make sure this happens?
If it is not already apparent, the approach of this paper is to address a problem, to consider its details, and to offer some kind of solution. I’ve proposed a rather large problem, so I don’t anticipate you will find an easy or conclusive answer; sometimes the starting point of such a discussion is simply to better define the problem itself. I DO want to see you engage with the problem, even if at the end you aren’t exactly sure where to go next. It should also be apparent that your paper MUST bring the readings from this unit into the discussion (one of which must be Edumundson or Shorris, though you are free to use both), and you should bring in at least one other reading from the course. My hope is that by now you are feeling that you have a variety of perspectives to draw from and that you are taking advantage of that increased knowledge base.
Note:
The paper should be a minimum of 1,250 words (note the longer requirement for this assignment). Follow MLA document design carefully. Failure to do so will result in a grade deduction.
Document all quotations carefully using MLA format.
Proofread your final draft carefully. Avoid such deadly errors as comma splices, run-on sentences, fragments, and faulty possessives. An excessive number of basic writing errors (generally more than five) will result in automatic failure of the essay, regardless of its other strengths.
Note that your subscription to MyWritingLab includes several online tutorial sessions through Pearson Smarthinking. Allocate time to use these services.
