Pre Reading- What is it about and what does Liberal Arts mean?:
Based upon reading the title “Critical Thing and Liberal Arts- We Neglect Them At Our Peril” I believe this article is about the use of these topics or the lack thereof in today’s society and education system. I know from sources other than this article that Liberal Arts Programs (science and humanities programs) have declined and the second part of the title hints towards something negative as well. There also has been a big decline in the use of critical thinking so I believe it is only right to assume that the article has a connection with this.
What Are the Liberal Arts?
Liberal Arts has many definitions including science and humanity programs and integrated learning with higher education. No matter how you try to define it, it is quite the complex art and more so multiple ideas than a single value can define it. Critical thinking is a vital set of skills that embodies the Liberal Arts.
Why Do We Need the Liberal Arts?
Liberal arts are vital as they embody critical thinking and citizenship. It helps to prepare students for citizenship in all three senses of civic, economic, and cultural. We all need to be well informed critical thinking citizens and the use of the liberal arts allows us to do so
What is Critical Thinking?
Critical thinking is the idea of coming up with multiple questions and idea and clumping them all into one. Critical inquiry is the bridge between basic critical thinking and philosophy, and it’s where most of our higher learning takes place. Using both these sets of skills increases our abilities to speak, listen more, write, read, and think. They also help us to interact in and out of the classroom and in the community and everyday situations.
The Importance of Critical Inquiry
The importance of Critical Inquiry is being able to solve problems for not just their words but their meaning, your own knowledge, reality, and what is portrayed in our own minds. Critical Inquiry itself transcends many different disciplines and unifies the liberal arts curriculum as a whole. It shows that we have to deal with problems we are given whether they are based upon reality or knowledge we have to try to solve them.
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