“In contemporary discourse around education policy and
curricula, some feel an irresistible urge to separate the sciences from the
humanities, even giving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics its
own acronym (STEM) and in many cases placing this clustering in opposition to
the ‘liberal arts.’ This is ahistorical—the core of scientific thinking has
been an essential part of the liberal arts in their original, ancient forms
(arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and logic were all considered essential education
for free citizens). But, beyond this, separating STEM disciplines from the
liberal arts denies the fundamental reality that the effective practice of
science depends on the effective communication of scientific ideas, which in
turn depends on the skills shaped by the study of the humanities and arts. And
in turn the work of a citizen (the ultimate outcome of a liberal arts
education) requires comfort and facility with scientific concepts in order to
understand the world around us.”— Sean Decatur, President, American Museum of
Natural History, “
Finding Common Ground for Lifelong Learning,” The
Key Reporter, Fall 2023
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