Week 1 Response

Both Arthur Holmes and John Dewey propose interesting ideas about thought and the development of the human mind in their respective writings The Liberal Arts: What and Why? and How We Think.  As the honors class looks to study “what it means to be human” (from the overview in the course syllabus), it is almost crucial that we begin with analyzing thought.  Dewey mentions that humans are commonly referred to as “the thinking animal” as it is what sets us as a species apart from life on this planet.

In his writing, Holmes states that “Man is a rational being” (37) and later continues with “To be rational is also to be analytic” (38).  Acting in a rational manner frees us from acting on instinct.  Dewey warns against acting on instinct while talking about reflective thought. Reflective thought is not through instinct, but rather is to be considered suspended judgment based on belief accompanied with evidence.  While it may be tempting to act on impulse, reflective thought is far more beneficial and we as humans are blessed with the ability to do so.

Holmes stresses the importance of a liberal arts education to the development of a person.  It is often stressed in his writing that a liberal arts education is more about shaping the individual rather than the vocational training that is received.  The word “liberal” comes from the Latin root “liber” which translates to “free”.  Dewey makes a rather bold statement toward the end of his writing in saying that “Genuine freedom, in short, is intellectual” (13).  This quote, in particular, reminded me of the novel 1984 by George Orwell.  In the novel, a tyrannical government succeeds at controlling thought.  At one point, the main character claims that “Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows”.  True freedom lies in the mind of the individual.

Another topic that is touched on by both Holmes and Dewey is the topic of mental discipline and development.  Holmes criticizes a student for asking “What can I do with all this stuff anyway?” instead of asking “What will all this stuff do to me?” (32).  He believes that it is the responsibility of a liberal arts education to teach the student to be able to adapt because occupations and job obligations change over time.  He is concerned with the education leading to mental development instead of the attainment of factual knowledge.  Dewey’s perspective on education is similar and is shown when he writes that “The aim of education is precisely… a disciplined mind” (12).  The discipline and development mentioned go hand-in-hand with each other throughout the educational process.

A final topic to bring up is mostly related to Holmes’ writing.  The society that we live in puts such a large emphasis on being productive.  However, being human means far more than working because we were made to serve God in all that we do.  As a society, we sometimes forget that jobs are created for people and people are not created for jobs.  While vocational specialization is necessary for a liberal arts education, it should not be the main focus.  A liberal arts education should transcend the circumstantial vocational training that typical degrees offer.

To briefly conclude, a liberal arts education along with reflective thought should lead to mental discipline and development with the end goal of the discipline and development being intellectual freedom.  It is the freedom that comes with intelligent thought that sets humans apart from the world.