A Post Including (but not limited to) Humanities

In Anthony Kronman's September 2007 article called Why Are We Here?, Kronman explores the idea of the study of what is called a "good life" in today's university. Today's university refers to what Kronman is talking about as the humanities. The humanities commonly consist of four courses: literature, philosophy, music, and art. The humanities are designed to broaden the student's understanding of these subjects and perhaps apply them to real life. Kronman's plead in the case of the humanities goes along with the idea of the university experience that Alexander Meiklejohn was so wild about.

In class today, Dr. Bridges made us all temporary enemies in an effort for a genuine argument about the somewhat liberal idea of humanities. It was convenient that I was supposed to defend humanities as a part of the university in class today, because the more I read Kronman's article, the more I agreed with his ideas about the pursuit of an "independent spirit" through the learning and appreciation of the aforementioned courses. Even though these courses are, lets face it, somewhat frowned upon by the career and job field, the importance of the knowledge that these classes offer are in every way irreplaceable. Where else in your life will you be able to hear the already researched ideas of great writers and philosophers that are so readily available? The in-class discussion and understanding of some of the great works, whether they be in history, philosophy, art, music, or literature, are extremely valuable and should be taken advantage of. In humanities, universities are offering more than just an education which leads to a career. They offer the potential for the appreciation of knowledge. There is no doubt in my mind that these classes are some of the most important courses that universities offer. Sometimes, these classes are taken for granted and not given enough attention by both the administration and the students. Is my logic severely skewed when I say that humanities are necessary for the appreciation of higher education?