Interior scene depicting Betsy Ross presenting the American flag. General George Washington is seated on the left with financier Robert Morris, and standing, delegate George Ross is one of 12 schools in the State University System of Florida, it has by law the"distinctive mission" of being"the residential liberal arts honors college" of Florida. A key responsibility of its board, to which I was recently appointed, is to keep the college focused on that mission.
are not subject to contemporary politics. The liberal arts teach permanent truths about the nature of who we are as human beings and what is required to lead a good life. This isn’t a liberal or conservative issuenor is seeking knowledge reserved to the"Left" or the"Right." There is, however, a profound and critical conflict between the liberal arts andAt best, modern education is a buffet of meaningless ideas flavored by relativism.
A genuine liberal arts education guards against a negative force that can often appear as subtle as it is insidious and destructive: tyranny over the mind. As a bulwark against intransigence, stagnation, and the mindless repetition of cultural shibboleths, the liberal arts stand resolute on what is tried, tested, and true. The works explored in a liberal arts education aren’t great simply because they are old.
The liberal arts recognize that human beings are unique in this world because we are beings who think, make decisions, and act with purpose. But more than that, we’re hard-wired with a drive to exploreto know things and to seek answers to what we don’t know. We’re made to stand in a humble state of wonder at the everyday beauty all around us. We’re also made to stand amazed by the ever-expanding and mysterious frontiers of the universe.