The seven liberal arts – Picture from the Hortus deliciarum of Herrad von Landsberg (12th century)

The term liberal arts has come to mean studies that are intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills, rather than more specialized occupational or professional skills. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1401x1839, 672 KB) Septem artes liberales from Hortus deliciarium of Herrad von Landsberg (about 1180) File links The following pages link to this file: Liberal arts Medieval philosophy Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Philosophy ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1401x1839, 672 KB) Septem artes liberales from Hortus deliciarium of Herrad von Landsberg (about 1180) File links The following pages link to this file: Liberal arts Medieval philosophy Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Philosophy ... Knowledge is information of which a person, organization or other entity is aware. ... An intellectual is a person who uses his or her intellect to study, reflect, speculate on, or ask and answer questions with regard to a variety of different ideas. ... Skill is human (usually learned) ability to perform actions. ...

The scope of the liberal arts has changed with society. It once emphasised the education of elites in the classics; but, with the rise of science and humanities during the Age of Enlightenment, the scope and meaning of "liberal arts" expanded to include them. Still excluded from the liberal arts are topics that are specific to particular occupations, such as agriculture, business, dentistry, engineering, medicine, pedagogy (school-teaching), and pharmacy. Human relationships within an ethnically diverse society. ... Classics, particularly within the Western University tradition, when used as a singular noun, means the study of the language, literature, history, art, and other aspects of Greek and Roman culture during the time frame known as classical antiquity. ... For the periodical, see Science (journal) Science in the broadest sense refers to any knowledge or trained skill, especially (but not exclusively) when this is attained by verifiable means. ... The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy, and is often thought of as part of a period which includes the Age of Reason. ...

In the history of education, the seven liberal arts comprised two groups of studies: the trivium and the quadrivium. Studies in the trivium involved grammar, dialectic (logic), and rhetoric; and studies in the quadrivium involved arithmetic, music, geometry, and astronomy. These liberal arts made up the core curriculum of the medieval universities. The term liberal in liberal arts is from the Latin word liberalis, meaning "appropriate for free men" (social and political elites), and they were contrasted with the servile arts. The liberal arts thus initially represented the kinds of skills and general knowledge needed by the elite echelon of society, whereas the servile arts represented specialized tradesman skills and knowledge needed by persons who were employed by the elite. For other senses of this word, see history (disambiguation). ... 7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. ... ... The quadrivium comprised the four subjects taught in medieval universities after the trivium. ... Grammar is the study of rules governing the use of language. ... In classical philosophy, dialectic (Greek: διαλεκτική) is an exchange of propositions (theses) and counter-propositions (antitheses) resulting in a synthesis of the opposing assertions, or at least a qualitative transformation in the direction of the dialogue. ... Logic, from Classical Greek λόγος (logos), originally meaning the word, or what is spoken, (but coming to mean thought or reason) is most often said to be the study of criteria for the evaluation of arguments, although the exact definition of logic is a matter of controversy among philosophers. ... Rhetoric (from Greek ρήτωρ, rhêtôr, orator, teacher) is the art or technique of persuasion, usually through the use of language. ... Arithmetic is the current mathematics collaboration of the week! Please help improve it to featured article standard. ... Music is a form of expression in the medium of time using the structures of tones and silence. ... Table of Geometry, from the 1728 Cyclopaedia. ... Radio telescopes are among many different tools used by astronomers Astronomy (Greek: αστρονομία = άστρον + νόμος, astronomia = astron + nomos, literally, law of the stars) is the science of celestial objects (such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies) and phenomena that originate outside the Earths atmosphere (such as auroras and cosmic background radiation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Great Books. ... The first European medieval institutions generally considered to be universities were established in Italy, France, and England in the late 11th and the 12th centuries for the study of arts, law, medicine, and theology. ... Look up liberal in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Liberal may refer to: Politics: Liberalism, a political ideology that maximizes individual liberties. ... Alternative meaning: Elite (computer game) In sociology as in general usage, the elite (the elect; sometimes the French form élite is used) refers to a relatively small dominant group within a larger society, which enjoys privileged status and, almost invariantly, exploits individuals of lower social status. ... A tradesman is a type of worker found in all cultures throughout the world. ...

In the United States, liberal arts colleges are still a particular kind of higher education institution that are typified by their rejection of more direct vocational education during undergraduate studies. Following completion of their undergraduate studies at liberal arts colleges, graduates often do obtain specialized training by going to other institutions, such as professional schools (for instance, in business, law, medicine, or theology) or graduate schools. A liberal arts college is an institution of higher education found in the United States, offering programs in the liberal arts at the post-secondary level. ... A blacksmith is a traditional trade. ... A profession is a specialized work function within society, generally performed by a professional. ... Wall Street, Manhattan is the location of the New York Stock Exchange and is often used as a symbol for the world of business. ... See also Portal:Law The stela of King Hammurabi depicts the god Shamash revealing a code of laws to the king. ... This article is about the field of medical practice and health care. ... Theology (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason) means reasoned discourse concerning religion, spirituality and God. ... A graduate school or grad school is a school that awards advanced degrees, with the general requirement that students must have earned an undergraduate (bachelors) degree. ...

In modern academia, the Arts are usually grouped with or a subset of the Humanities. Some subjects in the Humanities are history, linguistics, literature, philosophy, women's studies. The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view. ... For other senses of this word, see history (disambiguation). ... Linguistics is the scientific study of human language, and someone who engages in this study is called a linguist. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... Philosopher in Meditation (detail), by Rembrandt. ... Womens studies is an interdisciplinary academic field devoted to topics concerning women, feminism, gender, and politics. ...

Institutions outside the United States that have been inspired by U.S. liberal-arts colleges include International Christian University, which is established after World War II as the first American-style college in Japan, the European College of Liberal Arts in Germany, the Roosevelt Academy in the Netherlands and Ashesi University in Ghana. This category of higher education does not exist in the United Kingdom, and the term "liberal arts" is very little used in any contemporary context in the UK. International Christian University (国際基督教大学: Kokusai Kirisutokyō Daigaku) is a non-denominational Christian university located in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. ...

While the concept is rarely expressed in Australia, it is presently becoming more influential in Melbourne. In that city, Victoria University now offers a two year "Diploma of Liberal Arts". Additionally, the University of Melbourne is becoming a US style graduate school, which may cause the less prestigious universities in Victoria to become closer to US style liberal arts colleges. The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... Victoria University (formerly known as the Victoria University of Technology), located in Melbourne, Australia, is one of the five dual-sector universities in Australia offering both Higher Education and Technical and Further Education courses. ... The Old Quad Building, formerly Old Law The University of Melbourne, located in Melbourne, Victoria, is the second oldest university in Australia, after the University of Sydney. ...

See also

• The Arts.
• Dante's Divine Comedy and Convivio where he drew a connection between the liberal arts and the seven astrological planets.
• Master of Arts in Liberal Studies

== The Arts is a broad subdivision of culture, comprised of many expressive disciplines. ... Dante redirects here. ... Dante shown holding a copy of The Divine Comedy, next to the entrance to Hell, the seven terraces of Mount Purgatory and the city of Florence, in Michelinos fresco. ... Convivio is a work written by Dante Alighieri roughly in a ten year period between 1294 and 1307. ... An astrological chart (or horoscope) _ Y2K Chart — This particular chart is calculated for January 1, 2000 at 12:01:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time in New York City, New York, USA. (Longitude: 074W0023 - Latitude: 40N4251) Astrology (from Greek: αστρολογία = άστρον, astron, star + λόγος, logos, word) is... The Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (sometimes MALS) Master of Liberal Arts (MLA) and Master of Liberal Studies (MLS) are postgraduate degrees. ...

Further reading

• Charles Blaich, Anne Bost, Ed Chan, and Richard Lynch. Defining Liberal Arts Education. Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts, 2004.
• Friedlander, Jack. Measuring the Benefits of Liberal Arts Education in Washington's Community Colleges. Los Angeles: Center for the Study of Community Colleges, 1982a. (ED 217 918)
• Blanshard, Brand. The Uses of a Liberal Education: And Other Talks to Students. (Open Court, 1973. ISBN 0812694295)
• Wriston, Hénry M. The Nature of a Liberal College. Lawrence University Press, 1937.
• Joseph, Sister Miriam. The Trivium: The Liberal Arts of Logic, Grammar, and Rhetoric. Paul Dry Books Inc, 2002.
• Winterer, Caroline. "The Culture of Classicism: Ancient Greece and Rome in American Intellectual Life, 1780-1910." Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2002.

External links

• Philosophy of Liberal Education
• Liberal Arts at the Community College
• A Descriptive Analysis of the Community College Liberal Arts Curriculum
• The Center of Inquiry in the Liberal Arts
• Academic Commons
• CatholiCity: Catholic Encyclopedia
• Enciclopedia Católica (spanish)