The Problem with Rules

Essays on the Meaning and Value of Liberal Education

John Churchill

• Publisher: University of Virginia Press
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9780813945781
• Topic: Didattica
• Subtopic: Didattica generale

There is a constant drumbeat of commentary claiming that STEM subjects—science, technology, engineering, and math—are far more valuable in today's economy than traditional liberal arts courses such as philosophy or history. Many even claim that the liberal arts are "under siege" by neoliberal politicians and cost-conscious university administrators. In a forceful response, The Problem with Rules establishes the essential value of the liberal arts as the pedagogical pathway to critical thinking and moral character and argues for more not less emphasis in higher education.

John Churchill asserts that the liberal arts are more than decorative frills. Drawing from the philosophy of Wittgenstein to craft a cogent, inspired argument, Churchill insists on the liberal arts' indispensable role, providing in this book a clarion call to politicians, university administrators, and all Americans to recognize and actively support and nurture the liberal arts.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Contents
• Introduction to the Malcolm Lester Lectures by David A. Davis
• Foreword by Hugh O. H. Churchill and Larry R. Churchill
• Preface
• 1 | The “Essence” of Liberal Education
• 2 | Wittgenstein on Rules and Its Relevance for Liberal Education
• 3 | Benefits of Liberal Education: Deliberation and the Emergence of Meaning
• 4 | What Is the Liberal Arts Canon and How Is It Justified?
• 5 | Liberal Arts in a Global Context
• 6 | Liberal Arts and Personal Identity
• Afterword by Frederick M. Lawrence
• Notes
• Bibliography