Why Choose the Liberal Arts?

FIRST LINE REVIEW: "What can my child do with a major in philosophy?" With this classic question, Roche begins one of the more important 21st century books on the value of a liberal arts education. He focuses on three major benefits of the liberal arts. The intrinsic value found through gaining a love of learning, the practical value found in the ways in which liberal arts students find direct application of their studies in the job market, and the character formation gained by the liberal arts that help students chart their moral compass in this world - so vital to helping make the world a better place. I found the book to be profound and compelling. It should be read by every educator, every parent whose child will be going to college and every student so they better understand and appreciate the vital role that a liberal arts education can play in their lives. I plan to read this book again and again so that I am better prepared to support the case for this critical educational model.

Mark Roche has written an engaging and thoughtful book explaining in non-technical language just what the "liberal arts" are really about and why they matter so deeply in the 21st century. His explanation about the importance of recognizing the sciences, both natural and social, as part of the liberal arts is especially refreshing. And his insistence that there is far more to the liberal arts than "critical thinking" (which seems to be a current fetish in educational discourse) leads to a balanced perspective about the moral relevance of the liberal arts. Anyone, whether long acquainted with higher education or newly interested in the topic, must make time to read the book.

There was a time when the question that forms the title of Mark William Roche’s book would not have been asked nearly so often, and when it was asked, it would not have generated nearly so much defensiveness as it does today. But that was another time. In an age of “relevance” and “outcomes” in higher education, of “disrupted” and “flipped” classrooms, and of educators and administrators falling in line behind each successive Next Big Thing, a bit of defensiveness about the liberal arts is perhaps understandable. Roche’s contribution is earnest, appreciated, and mostly predictable.Roche was Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at the University of Notre Dame for over ten years, so he has not only thought about the value of the liberal arts (which includes not just philosophy, history, and literature, but math and science as well), he has spent a lot of time exploring ideas with students and colleagues, answering the questions of the skeptical, and advocating for the role of the liberal arts in a world obsessed with what it thinks of as relevance and immediate, measurable gains. It can be a dispiriting task at times. It is far easier to preach to the choir, which is what so much of the writing on the liberal arts feels like. Roche’s book is largely in that category as well. He tries to reach out to the skeptical and the uninitiated, and he points out why student, parents, teachers, employers, and others should find his arguments useful, but the fact remains that the book is not likely to find a large audience among the unconverted. I hope I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am.That is not to say that Roche’s book does not have value. Indeed, there is a lot here that I wish would attract a wider audience. Roche analyzes the value of the liberal arts from three primary perspectives: the intrinsic value of learning for its own sake via engagement with great and enduring questions, the advantages that study of the liberal arts bestow on someone in their career, and the ways in which the liberal arts help form character and bring value to a life beyond all mundane considerations. From the first perspective, Roche argues that “to garner through engagement with the great questions a sense of the world as it should be, we need distance from the world as it is” (p. 29).From the second perspective, Roche makes the case that the skills and, especially, the habits of mind that come from studying the liberal arts are directly relevant in the workplace, even if that workplace is not the groves of academe. Whether one is an engineer, a doctor, a CEO, a bureaucrat, or anyone at any position in any organization, the ability to think critically and communicate effectively, to apply information from one context to a different set of problems, to work in teams, and especially to keep learning with enthusiasm and an open mind, are traits that can make any organization better and any job more rewarding. The third perspective is essentially this: In addition to its intrinsic value and its relevance to the workplace, education has a moral and social value that comes from helping students develop character, a strong ethical and moral foundation, and “the capacity to ask questions about what is important in the world, who they are, and what they wish to do with their lives” (p. 145).It’s hard to argue with Roche’s position—at least, it’s hard for someone of my temperament and intellectual predispositions. But the real question is: for how long, and in what way, should one strive for “distance from the world as it is”? Roche acknowledges that the kind of liberal learning he favors is most likely to take place in small, residential liberal arts colleges. And this is one difficulty with his treatment. Not many students go to these places. For the rest, some universities do a good job of infusing liberal learning into their curriculum, while others give nods in that direction without real commitment to the kind of serious thinking about the liberal arts that Roche advocates. So who are the liberal arts for? Or to use the wording of Roche’s title, who should choose the liberal arts? Everyone? A small elite? Does everyone need to think great thoughts? Not even the founders of the colleges and universities that Roche extols thought so. These places were not necessarily established to democratize liberal learning. That is a question that many of the books praising the liberal arts and arguing for their continuing importance in education seem reluctant to tackle. I’m part of the choir these people are preaching to, but now and then even members of the choir might need their assumptions about beautiful music shaken up a little bit, if only so that they can return to the heavenly harmonies with greater conviction but also more humility in the face of those who are just trying to sing for their supper.I enjoyed Roche’s book, in spite of the shortcomings mentioned above, which I think are endemic to the genre and not specific to this book. There are now notations and various lines, arrows, and exclamation marks in my copy, and he refers to other works that I would now like to read. I don’t know how many people who are not already convinced of the value of the liberal arts will read the book, however. I hope many will, but I’m skeptical. When they argue for the importance of what they do, liberal arts professors write for, and read about, primarily themselves. It was probably ever thus, and ever shall be.

As a Director for an educational service provider (primarily serving Liberal Arts colleges), I recently attended Roche's lecture on this book and was so fascinated I had to buy it after. He hits the target on how misguided the general public is on the value of a liberal arts degree compared to a STEM or pre-professional degree and what we can do to start to correct this perception, first in ourselves, and then to those near us in our spheres of influence.Roche covers it all in this book, and organizes his thoughts in a way that tells the reader 'here is what you and society have been trained to think regarding liberal arts, but a shift in focus can bring much more value.' Also, to change the emphasis of "value" is helpful...since (in my mind) knowing how to think rather than what to think might not pay off in the first few years, but pays great dividends long term. There are other benefits besides dollars, but even those other benefits impacts a liberal arts grad's career.Business leaders need to read this book because it will show them what is missing from their business by simply hiring pre-professional college graduates. Prospective college graduates and their parents need to read this book because it will help you sell yourself to a world which underappreciates habits learned in a liberal arts environment. College staff and faculty need to read this book as it supports what we already know, that a graduate of the liberal arts is better off long term for several reasons.You'll have to pick up the book to read how. I plan on recommending this book to the liberal arts colleges I serve.

I bought this book for my masters program. I was expecting yet another snobbish, professory, train wreck. I was DELIGHTED to find this was written by a real human being for other human beings to read. THANK YOU!! The writing is straight forward and easy, dare I say, enjoyable to read. After only the first chapter I was very proud of choosing a humanities degree. I think this book should be required reading for every professor before they teach a single class. Again, thank you Mr. Roche.

This book was well written and delightful to read. Loved it!

Prof. Roche offers both convincing reasons for choosing the liberal arts and means to promote liberal arts education. I'd recommend the book to anyone who's involved in curriculum planning as well as teaching and learning.