To the responders of Question #3, Joelle Hodge gave us helpful definitions of the fine arts (“primarily for aesthetic reasons and not for functional use”) and the common arts (in which “people can ...
I appreciate the chance to think about the role of the fine and common arts in the liberal arts tradition. I don’t have well-thought-out ideas on this topic, so I thought I would offer a few reflec...
I will address this question in two parts. The first part: Where do the fine arts fit into the liberal arts tradition? In ancient Greece, where our modern, classical education movement proudly trac...
The common arts have a central and longstanding role in the tradition of liberal arts education. Also known throughout the tradition as mechanical, servile, or vulgar arts, the common arts are...
All my life I loved beauty and found ways to immerse in it—nature, music (both listening and playing instruments), art on the walls of our house, spaces I tried to create, usually in my bedroom. I ...
First and foremost, it is important to note that all three categories of arts—liberal, common, and fine—have been present in the Great Tradition from the beginning. We can find mention of each as f...
