Friedrich, Wanderer Above the Sea of Fog, 1818
What then, in this context, is the function of the required major if not to learn a specific amount of disciplinarily defined content? It is not—not!—to train in a field that is based on information learned in that major. It is to practice thinking, researching, interpreting, writing, learning and synthesizing within increasingly complex arenas of knowledge. The major is, in a sense, the “thought laboratory.” Working within a defined discipline, with increasingly large and complex data (whether in chemical, historical or philological data), the liberal arts student is challenged to manage, assess and apply increasingly complex ideas and information. Managing and interpreting increasingly complex concepts works the brain, like any muscle, to become stronger and more nimble—that is, smarter. And this is why, if a student in a liberal arts school wants to get the absolute most out of her experience, she is probably better off writing a senior thesis in a discipline rather than double majoring in two closely related disciplines. This is what will push her brain further—make her smarter—and this is the best investment a student can make.
So, as parents send their kids off to college, and those same kids try to figure out what they want to study, and as those of us who teach in liberal arts institutions begin talking to those students about the purpose and meaning of the educations they are about to embark upon, we should all keep in mind what our ultimate aim is. It is not vocation training. It is brain training. We are building the brain trust of the future.
