FREE ESSAY ON PHILOSOPHY FINAL

PHILOSOPHY FINAL

SUMMARY
Brand Blanshard, a respected philosophy professor, published an essay entitled, The Uses
of a Liberal Education, which accounts for a few arguments against a liberal education,
but stresses the overwhelming advantages to the same education. According to Blanshard,
liberal studies are "the sort of studies that are pursued for their own sake rather than
for their utility." (p. 121). 
The first step Blanshard takes in analyzing the usefulness of a liberal education is to
highlight the opposing arguments. First, he examines the price one pays for an education
in such subjects as philosophy, mathematics, or history. That price is that of freedom.
He enforces this with the idea that 18-year-olds are at the time in their lives where
they are entranced by freedom. In studying these tedious subjects, they lose that
freedom. His second point is that of the usefulness. He gives multiple examples of men
who have changed the face of the earth without education, such as Thomas Edison and Henry
Ford. For if it is our purpose to be educated to better our lives materialistically, a
liberal education serves no purpose. Thirdly, he highlights languages, explaining that
when will any of us need French or Spanish to understand something. Can we not find
information in English anywhere? The only worthy case of studying languages is if one
intends to live in a foreign country.
For the rest of the essay, Blanshard enforces the positives of a liberal education.
First, he explores the meaning of usefulness, and comes to the conclusion that usefulness
involves "comfort and quiet and richness of the mind, which is simply good." (p. 125).
Blanshard, then, highlights three reasons why a liberal education is useful. First, it
satisfies our human desire to know. Second, it is useful indirectly through our use of
different perspectives. And finally, it "may permeate with its influence all our thought
and feeling and action." (p. 124). He concludes this essay by reminding us that "the
Greek spirit still remains" (p. 134) and it remains through a liberal education.
PLATO
"The philosopher doesn't desire one part of wisdom rather than another, but desires the
whole thing." (Plato, p. 150). In other words, a liberal education, which enhances the
mind's capacity by making available knowledge of various fields of study, is the route
the most educated must take. This is the road of the Philosopher King in Plato's world.
Plato's world was one where all human's strive for the ultimate from, Good. In this
ultimate form one finds various ideas. For example, through the Good, one obtains
knowledge of the Truth, Justice, Beauty, Humanness, and gives one the mind/soul, which is
an object of knowledge.
The first idea Blanshard brings forth in his essay is that "the liberal studies are the
sort of studies that are pursued for their own sake rather than for their utility." (p.
121). This, beyond almost anything, coincides with Plato's thoughts. In Book I of the
Republic, Socrates, Plato's teacher, discusses the idea of justice with his friends
Cephalus, Polemarchus, and Thrasymachus. The most applicable to this particular situation
is his conversation with Thrasymachus, where he concludes that justice is never the
advantage of the stronger. Plato feels that a leader works for the sake of his servants.
He pursues perfection for the sake of something other than self-gratification. If someone
pursues a liberal education for its own sake, they are not pursuing it for more money, or
to dominate anyone in any way. Therefore, they will not use their power of knowledge in
order to harm anyone. They will more or less be benevolent in their use of that
knowledge, and use it for the greater good.
Plato also highlights six subjects of study, which are reserved for the most educated,
and so used in the development of tomorrow's leaders, the Philosopher Kings. These
subjects are arithmetics, geometry (2-D), solid geometry (3-D), astronomy, harmonics, and
the most important of which is dialectics. In studying these particular subjects, Plato
is able to develop a leader who is knowledgeable about all things. In Plato's world,
these subjects create an atmosphere very similar to that which Blanshard envisions.
Blanshard says, "They [men] philosophize because they want to understand the world they
live in. I believe that, in some degree or other, everyone wants this." (p. 126). In this
he reflects the same sentiments as Plato, in that through certain studies, men seek
something they have been driven to find through eternity, the truth. Now, Plato's ideas
in this case coincide to a certain extent. However, Plato feels that a person must be
forced to turn completely around. Once turned around, Plato's ideal human appears similar
to Blanshard's in that he/she will not digress into an immature mindset. At this point,
both Plato and Blanshard are agreeable. Once Plato's ideal human is turned around, he/she
strives to see all that is true, and obtain all knowledge.
Another point of similarity is where Blanshard says, "many things simply remain invisible
till we see them through others' eyes." (p. 130). In so, speaking to the fact that
through liberal studies, one "not only borrows another's sense of sight, but their sense
of values, also." (p.130). In this, Blanshard speaks to a similar idea as to that of the
cave according to Plato. Plato has an idea that we all must be led into the light, where
truth and goodness await us in the light. We are led out of Plato's cave and into the
light, and shown truth, and so, because of the person who led us out of darkness, and
into the light, we, in as sense, use other's for our education in Plato's world. In the
same way, Blanshard, through the use of different studies and different authors, uses
others to arrive at the truth.
One idea, in particular, which I feel Plato would disagree with, is that "liberal studies
satisfy some of our elemental hungers, the hunger to know." (p. 125). Plato, in Book II
of the Republic, describes a city based on the idea that "humans are not
self-sufficient." (Plato, p. 44). Plato also says that our "first need is for food, our
second need is for shelter, and our third is for clothes." (Plato, p. 44). Nowhere does
Plato bring forth the idea that knowledge as an elemental hunger. Now, the Philosopher
King is all-knowledgeable, but the purpose of the city is not for all citizens to become
more knowledgeable, but rather that they sustain life. Again, the city is formed because
we are not self-sufficient, and therefore we need each other to help provide for our
basic needs, none of which are knowledge. Knowledge does not sustain life. Food, shelter,
and clothing help to sustain life in a basic sense.
Overall, I feel that Plato definitely agrees with Blanshard that the liberal education is
useful. Blanshard, at the end of his essay says, "what is significant about a person or a
people is the invisible things about them," (p. 134) referring to the idea that the
liberal education helps contribute to the entire person, and what kind of person we
become. We borrow other people's ideas, take their advice, and create a world of our own.
Plato seeks knowledge, and truth, and through his own personal studies of philosophy,
history, and mathematics, all of which are liberal studies, became a mind referenced by
politicians, lawyers, and ethicists. In fact, Blanshard concludes his own essay by
saying, "No doubt there were hardheaded practical men in Athens who stopped before the
door of Plato's Academy and asked what was the use of it all. They and their names have
vanished; the little Academy became a thousand academies among nations then unborn." (p.
134).
DESCARTES
"I thought that book learning, at least the kind whose reasonings are merely probable and
that do not have any demonstrations, having been composed and enlarged little by little
from the opinions of many different persons, does not draw nearly so close to the truth
as the simple reasonings that a man of good sense can naturally make about the things he
encounters." (Descartes, p. 7). Rene Descartes is a man who firmly believes in
self-introspection. His ideas are based on locking himself in a room completely separate
from the rest of the world, and thinking. Descartes would definitely be opposed to
Blanshard's The Uses of a Liberal Education in that Descartes is very anti-educational.
His ideas depend on the individual, and not the community. His ideas directly counter
those of Blanshard.
Blanshard says, when speaking of the arguments against a liberal education, that "a
liberal education calls for a great outlay in time, money, and effort, for which little
or nothing useful is gained in return." (p. 124). For this, Descartes would definitely
find himself in agreement. First of all, Descartes would claim that the education
received through the liberal arts relies upon the thoughts and experiences of others,
rather than the truth as "I", an individual, has observed. Descartes says, "I learned not
to believe anything too firmly of which I had been persuaded only by example and custom."
(Descartes, p. 6). Therefore, according to Descartes, the money and time spent on a
liberal education is a waist. Descartes feels that through self-introspection, which is
free, one finds truth and knowledge. He feels that one can not rely on the thoughts of
philosophers, theologians, or any other learned person. Their knowledge is just that,
their knowledge, not another's.
However, along with this idea of relying on other's knowledge, Descartes also says, "it
is good to have examined all these disciplines [science, jurisprudence, and medicine],
even the most superstition-ridden and the most false of them, in order to know their true
worth and to guard against being deceived by them." (Descartes, p. 4). Although Descartes
appears to be set in his mind that all knowledge should be derived from oneself, he
acknowledges the fact that having and understanding of this knowledge can help us not to
be deceived. This is a slight contradiction that allows some room for support of
Blanshard's ideas. Through this, he concedes the fact that this education might actually
be worth something in the end. Maybe the time was well spent.
One point, which would strongly be supported by a great mind like Plato, is utterly
loathed by one like Descartes. "Indeed many things remain simply invisible till we see
them through others' eyes." (p. 130) is a statement that contradicts Descartes' path.
Descartes feels that in accepting the thoughts of all those before us, i.e. Plato, John
Locke, Sartre, Augustine, Mohammed, Jesus, and the many more great minds of history, all
of which have differing opinions, we lose a battle. In looking to another for our own
betterment of mind, we already have made up our minds. It is a waist of time for us to
seek and accept those thoughts of others. He says that in his own method, he "never
accepts anything as true that he did not plainly know to be such." (Descartes, p. 11). 
In defense of a liberal education Blanshard says, "the mind that wants to know can find
fascination along a hundred avenues." With this, Descartes can definitely agree.
Descartes feels that his method is not necessarily the greatest. Descartes, himself says
that "my purpose here is not to teach the method that everyone ought to follow in order
to conduct his reason well, but merely to show how I have tried to conduct my own."
(Descartes, p. 2). Descartes, in this instance, claims that through the use of different
highways, one can reach the same destination in the same amount of time. 
Descartes is a man who is set in his ways, but also one who leaves room for differences.
He is not hardheaded, but there are ideas, which he is unable to change or reach middle
ground upon. He is extremely insistent on self-introspection, which leads to greater
knowledge and truth. However, his method is not always the greatest for all, and
therefore he leaves room for differences. Descartes would appear to be against
Blanshard's view that a liberal education is useful because of his views on organized
education. He feels that through organized education one is deceived with the thoughts
and reasoning of many different people. He feels that one can never come to his own
conclusion without being pestered into a certain frame of mind by a specific philosopher
or theologian. 
Personal Analysis
I, on a personal level find Blanshard's essay true and honest as to the benefits and
usefulness of a liberal education. I feel that an education in the liberal arts offers a
person a well rounded mind, something not often found in this society. This society is
often times much too closed-minded. And this is evident in the absence of considering
hearts. The liberal education offers someone many different methods of finding the truth
for oneself, and I believe, without any doubt, that the truth can be different for all. A
liberal education provides its students with knowledge of past mistakes, future advice,
and other ideas, which play to the heart of each human being. 
Although enormous amounts of money are spent on an education that might not bring forth
the most attractive pay check, it offers "comfort and richness of mind" (p. 125), a
priceless attribute. How many people can say, at the end of the day they are happy? How
many can even say they are satisfied? People, nowadays, are so often in a hurry to make
that next dollar, to even degrade their neighbor in order to accomplish that feat. At the
end of the day they may have that dollar, but they often times lack a sense of acceptance
among others, according to many to be one of the greatest gifts in the world. People who
study in order to have a profession seek that profession as their end. They treat people
as a means to get to that end, their profession and the dollar bill that it accompanies.
Who is to say that because a liberal education does not bring home the almighty dollar,
it does not offer satisfaction? It offers satisfaction in itself, as Blanshard says.
One point made by Blanshard that holds great weight with myself is when he says, "Indeed
many things remain simply invisible till we see them through others' eyes." (p.130). In
taking other's advise, we open our doors more fully to the truth. Many people have lived
similar lives to our own. Many people have experienced certain situations we might be in
the midst of. Many people offer a different perspective that might help us more fully
understand the entire picture. Through other people's eyes, our eyes can become much
clearer.
Another great benefit of the liberal education is brought forth when Blanshard says, "if
his thought and feeling are affected, so surely will his action be." (p. 133). Therefore,
through a liberal education, which provides its students with ideas of philosophy and
theology, one's personal actions might become more reverent. Through the study of a man
like Jesus Christ, although it will not fatten one's pocket, might lead to greater
satisfaction through actions. In this, I am saying that when one treats another with
respect and love, often times those same sentiments are returned. Love begets love, just
like violence begets violence. If seeing things more clearly through philosophy or
theology can change one's actions; perhaps one's life will be changed for the better.
Although I agree with much of what Blanshard says, I must part with the idea that a
liberal education "directly satisfies some of out elemental hungers." (p.125). This
specific idea is absolutely absurd. The gift of any education is strictly that, a gift.
It satisfies no basic hunger. There is no basic hunger, to know. The third world is
filled with people whose basic hungers are not met everyday. People lack food, clothing,
and shelter, the things which the city is formed to provide. A young child, starving to
death and dying of malaria, is not attempting to fulfill his basic need for knowledge. He
is hoping to survive the next day. Knowledge is nowhere near a basic need. It is a luxury
reserved for the wealthy in all states. A higher education can only be afforded by those
with money. They are not seeking to fulfill something without which they will die. A
liberal education is a gift, nothing more.
For the most part, I strongly agree with Blanshard that a liberal education is extremely
useful, despite the critics and their desire for money. A liberal education offers a
comfort of mind that can not be touched by the sharpest sword or the strongest man. A
liberal education, through the knowledge derived, is a lifelong gift of happiness and
freedom.