What Liberal Arts Education Is for (2024)

(innig.net)

10 points | by mr_wiglaf 1 hour ago

4 comments

  • CobaltFire 11 minutes ago
    I had an extremely focused career, but am by nature a curious individual who craved the type of discussions the article talks about. They were closed to me because I came from poverty and had to focus to move myself up the ladder.

    Much like the author however, I found that my natural curiosity, and specifically that desire to ask what the words being used MEANT, to serve me extremely well. When I was a PM for a billion dollar plus project (military can hit that easily) that attitude is what got me the job.

    The constant push back from those who seem to value only their, and your, positions as cogs in a machine was exhausting. I really agree with this entire article. Thanks for posting it.

  • WalterBright 14 minutes ago
    I took and engineering and science program in college. The education was in learning how to learn, learning how to solve problems, and how to distinguish fact from fiction. It's served me well.

    To make a living, it is necessary to learn a skill that people are willing to pay for.

  • ThrowawayR2 2 minutes ago
    [delayed]
  • eddhead 21 minutes ago
    Communist brainwashing for Trust Fund kids?

    Seriously speaking what in Liberal Arts can you learn that's not already on Youtube now?

    • CobaltFire 16 minutes ago
      This comment really speaks to the article.

      The commenter didn't even have the curiosity to read and comprehend the article, and made the articles point in that.

    • areoform 11 minutes ago
      From the article,

          What can we learn about what other people are thinking, about their mental models of the world, by paying very careful attention to the words they use?
      
      A lot of people will make fun of you, but I think everyone should read a book or two that's not airport pulp.

      Given you're on HN, try Gödel, Escher, Bach. https://www.amazon.com/G%C3%B6del-Escher-Bach-Eternal-Golden...

      Be warned though, it'll take you well over a decade.

    • bulbar 14 minutes ago
      You can learn anything from books, you never needed a college for that.

      Except, discussing things, having somebody else grade your coursework etc., you don't get that from books or YouTube.