A colleague just shared an article by William Cronon on the purposes of a Liberal Education. It eloquently argued what characteristics a liberally educated person should have (not what classes they should take or standards they should meet). The 10 traits Cronon identifies are:
1. They listen and they hear.
2. They read and they understand.
3. They can talk with anyone.
4. They can write clearly and persuasively and movingly.
5. They can solve a wide variety of puzzles and problems.
6. They respect rigor not so much for its own sake but as a way of seeking truth.
- 7. They practice humility, tolerance, and self-criticism.
- 8. They understand how to get things done in the world.
- 9. They nurture and empower the people around them.
- 10. They see connections in order to make sense of the world and act within it in creative ways.