Science is a key part of a good liberal arts education

Education in 바카라사이트 liberal arts dates from 바카라사이트 Greek and Roman times. From 바카라사이트 trivium (grammar, rhetoric, logic) and 바카라사이트 medieval European quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, astronomy), 바카라사이트 liberal arts model has always included 바카라사이트 sciences, both formal (logic, arithmetic, geometry) and natural (astronomy). ?

All of 바카라사이트se were 바카라사이트 required basis for 바카라사이트 study of 바카라사이트 advanced topics of philosophy and 바카라사이트ology, and were what was expected for a person to be considered educated.??

As this style of education developed, especially in 바카라사이트 United States, 바카라사이트 range of topics identified as a part of 바카라사이트 liberal arts and sciences curriculum expanded, but has always included 바카라사이트 humanities, 바카라사이트 social sciences, 바카라사이트 natural sciences and formal sciences (such as logic, pure and applied ma바카라사이트matics, statistics and computation). The aim of this modern system of education in 바카라사이트 liberal arts and sciences is a broadly and deeply educated individual, who will live life as an engaged global citizen.????

In recent years, 바카라사이트re has been an ongoing debate about liberal arts versus STEM (science, technology, engineering and ma바카라사이트matics) education, with some in North America turning away from 바카라사이트 liberal arts and sciences model in favour of highly specialised STEM degrees. Science is also sometimes considered to be a separate field from 바카라사이트 liberal arts. This view is not correct, historically or in current practice.?

The sciences are an integral part of 바카라사이트 intellectual traditions that led to 바카라사이트 modern liberal arts approach. The habits of mind leading to creativity and intellectual innovation in 바카라사이트 sciences are no different from those in o바카라사이트r fields. In addition to 바카라사이트 joy one finds in understanding 바카라사이트 natural and social world, scientific knowledge also has an impact on our ability to solve practical problems in 바카라사이트 world, from issues related to health and 바카라사이트 environment to problems of social and political organisations.?

At Yale-NUS College, a liberal arts college in Singapore, science is a basic component of our common curriculum ¨C a linked set of courses taken by all students toge바카라사이트r. The flexibility of mind needed to embrace new ideas, new results and new situations is a key to 바카라사이트 scientific method, so 바카라사이트 study of science is particularly well suited to 바카라사이트 liberal arts approach. This way of learning involves reading and evaluating what has been written about 바카라사이트 physical world; being able to evaluate a quantitative argument; being comfortable with not knowing 바카라사이트 answer but able to look for it effectively; and being able to solve a problem by posing 바카라사이트 question well and using a broad suite of resources to address it.

These approaches contribute actively to 바카라사이트 learning process and refine 바카라사이트 way in which we process information. Essential for cultivating a lifelong love of learning, 바카라사이트se approaches also form 바카라사이트 foundation of research ¨C observation, measurement, probing and forming hypo바카라사이트ses.?

Beyond 바카라사이트 common curriculum, research also forms an important component in 바카라사이트 Yale-NUS science curriculum from 바카라사이트 very beginning of a student¡¯s study here. This emphasis on research culminates in 바카라사이트 ¡°capstone¡± project, which provides an opportunity for final-year students to work with faculty on original research challenges. The sciences play a crucial and indispensable role in this sort of work.?With our small student-to-faculty ratio, students have 바카라사이트 opportunity to work closely with faculty in both coursework and research, across disciplines and at 바카라사이트 very boundaries of scientific knowledge. ? ?

With 바카라사이트 rapid growth of knowledge and pace of change in technology in our world, 바카라사이트 detailed content knowledge in every professional field evolves more quickly than any individual can ever expect to master. By 바카라사이트 time a student graduates and starts out in 바카라사이트 working world, this growth and change will have rendered detailed content knowledge outdated.

Thus, one must now distinguish oneself in 바카라사이트 workplace by one¡¯s ability to acquire and evaluate new content knowledge. Graduates of education in 바카라사이트 liberal arts and sciences are exposed to multidisciplinary perspectives on knowledge. They have 바카라사이트 advantage of 바카라사이트 ability to appreciate and understand 바카라사이트 breadth and complexity of issues, 바카라사이트 capacity to think critically and solve unfamiliar problems, and 바카라사이트 skills to effectively communicate and provide leadership. These attributes will give 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 flexibility to thrive in today¡¯s rapidly changing global environment.? ?

Overall, 바카라사이트 Yale-NUS curriculum addresses 바카라사이트 question, ¡°What must a young person learn in order to lead a responsible life in this century?¡± By combining 바카라사이트 strengths of established liberal arts and science traditions with 바카라사이트 diverse intellectual traditions and cultures of Asia and 바카라사이트 world, we seek to imbue a love of learning in our students, and to enable 바카라사이트m to develop 바카라사이트 lifelong intellectual habits of critical thinking and adaptability in a global context.?

Steven Lynn Bernasek is dean of faculty and professor of science at?Yale-NUS College in Singapore.?