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Liberal Arts Essay

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Liberal Arts Essay
The article, “On the Purpose of a Liberal Arts Education” written by Robert Harris explains how vital and essential a liberal arts education can be in society. Liberal Arts is an area of study (literature, language, and history) that is set to give general knowledge rather than specific skills for a single profession (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Skills that can be gained at a liberal arts institution include: critical and creative thinking skills, increased ability to learn new ideas, intelligent opinions, and a better understanding of diverse knowledge and professions (Haidar, 2014). Robert Harris describes the brain as a muscle and like a muscle, the brain can enhance by many types of studies thus strengthening the mind.
Liberal Arts teach students how to properly learn. Through knowing how to learn, students can understand new information easier and faster. When an individual learns something new, the brain can actually remember how the information was learned and it then creates ways to make learning in the future faster (Harris, 1991).
Robert Harris explains that through a liberal arts institution, a student will be able to think, analytically and critically. Critical thinking gives a person the ability to think clearly and rationally. People with critical thinking skills have the ability to solve problems, understand logical connections between ideas, and understand the importance of ideas. Critical thinking is an affective way to solve problems because people who have this ability can look at different views before making a decision (Lau & Chan, n.d.). By using critical thinking and analysis, a student can begin to create their own opinions, values, and beliefs (Harris, n.d.)
Later, Harris talks about the importance of a Christian liberal arts education. He believes that type of education is the only education that can provide meaning to life and truth. He says that the knowledge of God makes everything makes sense and clarifies the framework because

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