Status Updates From The Great Conversation

Its pretty interesting reading a guys perspective on the importance of liberal education (liberal arts and literature based) in the 1950s and recognizing how relatable it still is to today. Good motivation to keep reading

Compelling.

So far a great little intro to why one should pursue a liberal (arts) education, especially living in a democracy. The idea (reality) that every work in the Conversation is in dialogue with the others and our own times and not just a piece of antiquarian curiosity is a helpful framing. Like yeah Homer definitely has something to say to me and everyone in the 21st century even if on paper the Iliad is just a war epic

“ mathematical truth will set us free from the superstitious awe that surrounds the scientific enterprise today”

…that you push a button when you want it...The atmosphere we breathe today, because of the universal use of gadgets and machines, because the word "scientific" is employed in a magical sense, and because of the half-hidden technological fabric of our lives, is full of the images and myths of science.…Much of this is the result of the mystery that modern man has made of mathematics…The Editors believe that…”

“ “the Editors do not agree that the great poets of every time are to be walked with and talked with, but not those who brought deep insight into the mystery of number and magnitude or the natural phenomena they observed about them…
[The] world is rapidly dividing into technicians who cannot tell the difference between a good poem and sentimental doggerel and "cultured" people who know nothing about electricity… (2)

Here for the Dewey slander and promotion of liberal (arts) education.
Still waiting to see how they think everyone has the capacity for a full-throttle liberal education.
I was always confused about why there’s like 15 books of science and mathematics in the Great Books collection but this answered that for me: (1/2)