by John Agresto
If we have hope of reviving a deep and patriotic love of America and a vibrant civic understanding of its principles, then a revival of serious liberal education is a necessity.
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Are liberal education and civic education related?
Perhaps the immediate answer is no. At its best, a decent liberal education teaches students to think deeply and widely for themselves, opening their minds to the search for the truth about nature and mankind’s most weighty matters. But an education in civics seems to have a more concrete aim: to teach an appreciation for our country and to encourage patriotism.
About the Author
John Agresto is a longtime professor of politics and the retired president of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M. He also serves on the Jack Miller Center Board of Directors. His latest book, on liberal education and American democracy, is The Death of Learning (forthcoming from Encounter Books in August 2022).
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Are liberal education and civic education related?
Perhaps the immediate answer is no. At its best, a decent liberal education teaches students to think deeply and widely for themselves, opening their minds to the search for the truth about nature and mankind’s most weighty matters. But an education in civics seems to have a more concrete aim: to teach an appreciation for our country and to encourage patriotism.
About the Author
John Agresto is a longtime professor of politics and the retired president of St. John’s College in Santa Fe, N.M. He also serves on the Jack Miller Center Board of Directors. His latest book, on liberal education and American democracy, is The Death of Learning (forthcoming from Encounter Books in August 2022).
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