Tradition of the Liberal Arts

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

1 to familiarize students with the specificity of the artes liberales tradition from ancient to modern times, their role in the history of European civilization
2 presentation of the modern educational concept of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Syllabus

1. Ancient (Greek-Roman) roots of educational concepts.
2. Views of great antique philosophers on the essence of education.
3. Birth of the idea of liberal arts at the turn of the ancient and medieval epoch.
4. Artes liberales as part of medieval pre-university and university education.
5. Renaissance changes in the understanding of liberal arts.
6. Modern société des lettres and tradition of artes liberals.
7. Humboldt’s idea of University and the tradition of artes liberales.
8. Rebirth of the artes liberales tradition as Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Reading list

Obligatory

1. Axer J., What is liberal education? Can it support both freedom and equality? Is it for everybody?, "Kritika a Kontext" 4, 1997, p. 116–118.
2. Axer J., How the Classical Tradition Can Serve to Promote Liberal Education in the Twenty-First Century. The East-Central Europe Case Example, "Kritika a Kontext" 1, 199, p. 113–116.

Optional

1. Axer J., Aktualność/nieaktualność tradycyjnych ideałów uniwersyteckich w Polsce anno Domini 2013, w: Misja i służebność uniwersytetu w XXI wieku, red. J. Woźnicki, Warszawa 2013, p. 169–217.
2. Jung I., Nishimura M., Sasao T., Liberal Arts Education and Colleges in East Asia: Possibilities and Challenges in the Global Age, Springer Singapore 2016.