by Charles Tandy
ABSTRACT
Previously philosophers often approached the question of the contents of a liberal arts (or humanistic or general) education from a perspective based on cultural immersion or what the heritage of their special culture told them. Thus the importance of Confucius or Plato or of Buddhism or Christianity, to cite only four examples, in philosophies of education past. Our particular cultural traditions informed our felt educational needs to become “us” or “human” (instead of barbarian) or to become “educated” or “transhuman” (instead of merely human). (And the advent of democracy suggested that all citizens, not just monarchs, must be liberally educated to be philosopher-rulers.)(continue…)