The ways and means of liberal education (original) (raw)
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Liberal Education: Its Conditions and Ends
“Liberal Education: Its Conditions and Ends,” in Peter Lawler and Tim Burns, eds., The Future of Liberal Education (New York: Routledge, 2014), reprinted from Perspectives on Political Science.
This article describes liberal education as it comes to light not historically but philosophically, taking the word liber (free) as its chief distinguishing feature. It considers what liberal education presupposes of those who pursue it, and it enumerates several outcomes or “ends” that are likely to ensue. Through liberal education, I argue, the mind is liberated from the here and now, freed by exposure to diverse kinds of character, released from the tyranny of the practical mode of thought, and, at the same time, freed by certain careful habits of reflection that take years to acquire.
The title appears to be an oxymoron. Liberal education should be that which transcends from education. It would thus seem that there could be no "liberal education of education." Moreover, education is human activity. It is a seamless practice of reason and expression of freedom that is itself only possible within the context of human capacity. I will examine Robert Pippin assumptions on liberal education, and, on the other hand, I will discuss Meria Levinson ideas that created a boundary on what liberal education should be regarded in the context of reason and freedom, notably an educationist perspective. Finally, I will consider that of philosopher's view is more reflective, and find myself in the liberal sense of education, than the structural way as the myriad principle.
The Demands of Liberal Education. [Review]
2003
Oxford-trained liberal theorist and practicing teacher, Meira Levinson, offers a well-articulated argument for her vision of the ideal liberal education in The Demands of Liberal Education. Particularly helpful for those of us who struggle to convey the aims of liberal education to our children and students, she provides an eloquent explanation as she describes her ideal school and the steps necessary for its realization: The aim of liberal education is to teach children the skills, habits, knowledge, and dispositions for them to be thoughtful, mature, self-assured individuals who map their path in the world with care and confidence, take responsibility for their actions, fulfill their duties as citizens, question themselves and others when appropriate, listen to and learn from others, and ultimately lead their lives with dignity, integrity, and self-respect-i.e. to be autonomous in the fullest sense of the word (1999, p. 164).
The nature and purpose of liberal education
Conocimiento y Acción
This is the first of three lectures on the theme of Liberal Education and Human Freedom presented late in 2017 as a master class in Catedra Carlos Llano. The lectures were given at Universidad Panamericana’s campuses at Aguascalientes and Mexico City on successive weeks.
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to challenge the assumption that liberal education as we understand it today, is alive and well in our institutions of higher education.
Orators or Philosophers? On the roots of liberal education and its significance in a complex world.
Since the end of the 20th century a combination of breadth and depth seems to be one of the hallmarks of every program that is based on the liberal education concept. Depth is achieved by some degree of specialization, usually in the form of a disciplinary or multidisciplinary major; breadth usually includes a selection of general education courses and some evidence of civic engagement. However, curriculum designers are increasingly concluding that some sort of integrative learning is necessary in order to achieve coherence. When students are left on their own to see connections, general education curricula often become a series of unrelated courses. It is an illusion to think that coherence grows in the minds of students without an incentive to integrate knowledge and skills. Related to this model there are some questions I want to discuss in this presentation.