First Draft:
Since its foundation higher education has been a topic of major debate and continues to be. Learning is individualistic and subjective, one grows when they find how to learn. The U.S. education system is flawed in that context, our system puts pressure on students to fit a certain standard in a specific way, but that’s not how learning works. That being said, education is the most important thing for society, it is the backbone to societal survival. Becoming more informed doesn’t have to be a scary thing, most of the time knowledge intrigues the learner and excites them to learn more. Liberal Arts gives students the chance to understand more about the work being done by others, showing sympathy and compassion. Education informs, and reduces ignorance, which is important in solving issues, especially in the topics of today. Learning how to learn is one of the most valuable tools gained in the education process, and allows hungry minds to jump into the world ready to tackle on any task and discover something new to teach.
Ronald Barnett seems to have a different approach, he believes that knowledge brings discomfort and never satisfies. Barnett says that higher education is “subversive … unsettling … disturbing … not complete unless the student realizes that no matter how much effort is put in, or how much library research, there are no final answers”. He’s stating that knowledge is not helpful in understanding the world better because there is always a chance of it being wrong and there’s no way to know the true answer. Knowledge flips our worlds upside down but it doesn’t make us feel as though there is no clue as to whether the facts are true or not. We believe in things as long as we know there to be no better answer. Barnett’s response seems to be hostile towards the world of education yet there is an undertone that he knows higher education is necessary. That being said Martha Nussbaum seems to agree with Barnett that education may not have the answers but she takes it one step further by saying that it teaches the mind to “become active, competent, and thoughtfully critical in a complex world”.
Through my experience in education and learning, knowledge is powerful, but it is not terrifying. Although there is the thought that everything I know is incorrect, I accept that possibility and believe in what I know until I find a different answer that I like better, and that’s how knowledge grows. Liberal Arts is a wonderful system, many of the conflicts caused throughout history and currently are due to ignorance of one another’s life and background. Liberal Arts allows those who are eager enough, to learn knowledge in many fields of study without needing to spend years mastering it, giving insights to what other people do and how they may help in situations. From my knowledge Barnett is right in the sense that knowledge will continuously change my world views but he is wrong when it comes to the idea that knowledge leads to an eventually understanding that you know nothing. Nussbaum on the other hand, speaks more to my experience in that the U.S. education system creates “informed, independent and sympathetic democratic citizens” which should be the goal and with enough effort on the student’s side can be very effective. Education is a powerful tool, not only does it provide the foundation for cultural traditions and facts, but also the ability of how to learn, and how to find new discoveries. Knowledge is key to success, whether one finds it through field work or in a classroom it indulges us, whether it is unsettling or comforting it’s necessary and our future.
Final Draft:
Since its foundation, higher education has been a topic of major debate and continues to be. Learning is individualistic and subjective, one grows when they find how to learn. The U.S. education system is flawed in that context, our system puts pressure on students to fit a certain standard in a specific way, but that’s not how learning works. That being said, education is the most important thing for society, it is the backbone to societal survival. Becoming more informed doesn’t have to be a scary thing, most of the time knowledge intrigues the learner and excites them to learn more. Liberal Arts gives students the chance to understand more about the work being done by others, showing sympathy and compassion. Education informs, and reduces ignorance, which is important in solving issues, especially in the topics of today. Learning how to learn is one of the most valuable tools gained in the education process, and allows hungry minds to jump into the world ready to tackle on any task and discover something new to teach.
Ronald Barnett seems to have a different approach, he believes that knowledge brings discomfort and never satisfies. Barnett says that higher education is “subversive … unsettling … disturbing … not complete unless the student realizes that no matter how much effort is put in, or how much library research, there are no final answers.” He’s stating that knowledge is not helpful in understanding the world better because there is always a chance of it being wrong and there’s no way to know the true answer. Knowledge flips our world upside down but it doesn’t make us feel as though there is no clue as to whether the facts are true or not. We believe in things as long as we know that there is no better answer. Barnett’s response seems to be hostile towards the world of education yet there is an undertone that he knows higher education is necessary. That being said Martha Nussbaum seems to agree with Barnett that education may not have the answers but she takes it one step further by saying that it teaches the mind to “become active, competent, and thoughtfully critical in a complex world.” Nussbaum is more positive about higher education and its purpose.
Through my experience in education and learning, knowledge is powerful, but it is not terrifying. Although there is the thought that everything I know is incorrect, I accept that possibility and believe in what I know until I find a different answer that I like better, and that’s how knowledge grows. Liberal Arts is a wonderful system; many of the conflicts caused throughout history and currently are due to ignorance of one another’s life and background. Liberal Arts allows those who are eager enough, to learn knowledge in many fields of study without needing to spend years mastering it, giving insights to what other people do and how they may help in situations. From my knowledge Barnett is right in the sense that knowledge will continuously change my world views but he is wrong when it comes to the idea that knowledge leads to an eventually understanding that you know nothing. Nussbaum on the other hand, speaks more to my experience in that the U.S. education system creates: “informed, independent and sympathetic democratic citizens” which should be the goal and with enough effort on the student’s side can be very effective. Education is a powerful tool, not only does it provide the foundation for cultural traditions and facts, but also the ability of how to learn and find new discoveries. Knowledge is key to success, whether one finds it through field work or in a classroom it indulges us, whether it is unsettling or comforting it’s necessary and our future.
