The Humanities Are Valuable
It is not only important to be a learned person to have career skills, but studying the humanities offers intrinsic value that translates into everyday life.
Cornwell, Grant. “The Intrinsic Value of Liberal Education.” The Huffington Post, 15 Jan. 2015. Accessed 20 July 2018.
A liberal arts education creates a greater understanding of the world and the self. A sense of identity is fostered through being able to explore, which is more valuable than career skill sets.
Morrisey, Sarah. “The Value of a Liberal Arts Education.” SPICE: Student Perspectives on Institutions, Choices and Ethics, vol. 8, 2013, pp.129-153. Accessed 17 July. 2018.
Morrisey stresses the state’s involvement in education’s place in society. The liberal arts should not just be for collegiate level individuals but included throughout all levels of schooling. Instead of stressing the liberal arts as just a means for economic advancement, the emphasis should be on how it enriches the soul and shapes our world.
Watson, Elwood. “Studying the Humanities Always Will Be Important.” Diverse, 6 May 2014. Accessed 4 July. 2018.
By studying the humanities, students are introduced to different topics and ways of thinking that aid them in their other fields. The humanities work in conjunction with other studies, not against them.
Wintrol, Kate. “The Intrinsic Value of the Liberal Arts: Cicero’s Example.” Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council, vol. 15 no. 1, 2014, pp.129-134, ERIC. Accessed 17 Jul. 2018.
Wintrol provides the example of the Roman statesman Cicero as to why liberal arts education is beneficial. After his daughter’s death after childbirth, Cicero looked to his liberal arts education and found writing as a source of comfort. Wintrol makes the point that it was a general education rather than a specific education that helped Cicero.