The liberal arts, the sciences, and the education of good citizens

Abstract

Since the time of the ancients, the liberal arts have been the centerpiece of education, comprising essential knowledge for vita activa, the knowledge necessary for the well-informed citizen to cultivate and participate in democratic life. However, the twenty-first century emphasis on professional status, income, and financial security has shifted our attention away from developing well-informed, engaged citizens to developing financially successful STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) workers. Because we need both, we should insert the A of arts into STEM, translating STEM into STEAM.