Powers of the Mind : The Reinvention of Liberal Learning in America

It is one thing to lament the financial pressures put on universities, quite another to face up to the poverty of resources for thinking about what universities should do when they purport to offer a liberal education. In __Powers of the Mind,__ former University of Chicago dean Donald N. Levine enriches those resources by proposing fresh ways to think about liberal learning with ideas more suited to our times. He does so by defining basic values of modernity and then considering curricular principles pertinent to them. The principles he favors are powers of the mind—disciplines understood as fields of study defined not by subject matter but by their embodiment of distinct intellectual capacities. To illustrate, Levine draws on his own lifetime of teaching and educational leadership, while providing a marvelous summary of exemplary educational thinkers at the University of Chicago who continue to inspire. Out of this vital tradition, __Powers of the Mind__ constructs a paradigm for liberal arts today, inclusive of all perspectives and applicable to all settings in the modern world.

it Is One Thing To Lament The Financial Pressures Put On Universities, Quite Another To Face Up To The Poverty Of Resources For Thinking About What Universities Should Do When They Purport To Offer A Liberal Education. In powers Of The Mind, Former University Of Chicago Dean Donald N. Levine Enriches Those Resources By Proposing Fresh Ways To Think About Liberal Learning With Ideas More Suited To Our Times.

            He Does So By Defining Basic Values Of Modernity And Then Considering Curricular Principles Pertinent To Them. The Principles He Favors Are Powers Of The Mind—disciplines Understood As Fields Of Study Defined Not By Subject Matter But By Their Embodiment Of Distinct Intellectual Capacities. To Illustrate, Levine Draws On His Own Lifetime Of Teaching And Educational Leadership, While Providing An Inspirational Summary Of Exemplary Educational Thinkers At The University Of Chicago Who Continue To Inspire. Out Of This Vital Tradition, powers Of The Mind Constructs A Paradigm For Liberal Arts Today, Inclusive Of A Wide Range Of Perspectives And Applicable To The Unique Settings Of The Modern World.

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what Does It Mean To Be Liberally Educated In 21st-century America, And What Is The Role Of Liberal Education In A Democracy? These Are The Basic Questions That Motivate Very Different Works By B Rub (literature, Pennsylvania State Univ.; Life As We Know It: A Father, A Family, And An Exceptional Child) And Levine (sociology, Univ. Of Chicago; Visions Of The Sociological Tradition). Both Works Share An Interest In Addressing Limitations In The Conservative Criticism Of Higher Education That Began With Works Like Allan Bloom's The Closing Of The American Mind And Dinesh D'souza's Illiberal Education. B Rub Takes Aim At The Oft-repeated Charge Of Liberal Bias And Skillfully Rebuts Many Of The Claims Made By Critics Such As David Horowitz (e.g., The Professors). Levine, By Contrast, Focuses On Defining A Curricular Structure For Liberal Education (rooted Primarily In The Evolution Of Undergraduate Programs At Chicago, Which He Calls Exemplary). While Both Works Will Appeal To Those With An Interest In Higher Education, They Are For Different Audiences: B Rub Provides An Effective Liberal Counterpoint To The Conservative Criticism Of Schools While Also Providing An Extended Review Of His Own Work In The Classroom; Levine Provides A Historical Analysis Of The Development Of Undergraduate Education At Chicago And A Proposal For A Contemporary Model Of Liberal Learning. The Distinction, Of Course, Is In How One Defines The Word Liberal In Reference Either To Politics Or To Education. Like Levine's The Opening Of The American Mind, Both Works Help Create Balance Between Conservative And Liberal Volleys In The Culture Wars In Higher Education And Will Appeal To Many Readers. Recommended For Academic Collections, Though Note That The First Part Of B Rub 's Work Is Likely To Have Significant Appeal To A Broader, More Popular Audience. Scott Walter, Univ. Of Kansas, Lawrence Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

It Is One Thing To Lament The Financial Pressures Put On Universities, Quite Another To Face Up To The Poverty Of Resources For Thinking About What Universities Should Do When They Purport To Offer A Liberal Education. In Powers Of The Mind, Former University Of Chicago Dean Donald N. Levine Enriches Those Resources By Proposing Fresh Ways To Think About Liberal Learning With Ideas More Suited To Our Times.--jacket. The Place Of Liberal Learning -- The Movement For General Education -- The Making Of A Curricular Tradition -- Dewey And Hutchins At Chicago -- Richard Mckeon : Architecton Of Human Powers -- Joseph Schwab's Assault On Facile Teaching -- What Is Educational About The Study Of Civilizations? -- New Goals For The Liberal Curriculum -- Goals For The Liberal Curriculum I: Powers Of Prehension -- Goals For The Liberal Curriculum Ii: Powers Of Expression -- New Ways Of Framing Pedagogy -- My Experiments In Teaching Powers. Donald N. Levine. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [267]-281) And Index. In Powers of the Mind, former University of Chicago dean Donald N. Levine considers the liberal education that our universities purport to offer, finds it lacking, and in response proposes fresh and invigorating ways to think about liberal learning that are more suited to our times. Levine begins by defining basic values of modernity and then considering pertinent curricular principles. The principles he favors are powers of the mind?disciplines understood as fields of study defined less by their subject matter than by the distinct intellectual capacities they embody. To illustrate, Levine dra Considers the liberal education that universities purport to offer, and proposes various ways to think about liberal learning. This book begins by defining basic values of modernity and then considering various curricular principles. It attempts to construct a paradigm for liberal arts applicable to various settings in the world.