In a recent discussion, philosophy professor Jennifer Frey made a provocative case for liberal arts education, arguing that it should not be defended merely as a means to develop 'soft skills' for the AI era. Instead, she insists on its intrinsic value: the cultivation of higher human capacities for their own sake.
Frey, who built a successful humanities program at the University of Tulsa, contends that the current push to justify the humanities through workforce relevance misses the point. True liberal learning, she says, is about 'paideia' or 'bildung'—the formation of a person capable of contributing to a flourishing society.
When challenged about historical failures—such as highly cultured Germans participating in Nazi atrocities—Frey acknowledged that education does not guarantee moral behavior. She emphasized the role of human freedom and the student's own will in the learning process. Even if a person remains flawed, engaging with great works like Plato's Republic or Bach's music holds inherent value.
Frey provocatively noted that eugenics, a toxic ideology, was widely accepted in elite institutions in the U.S. and U.K. before influencing Nazi thought. This, she argued, shows that higher learning can be misused but does not negate the worth of liberal arts.
Ultimately, Frey calls for a renewed appreciation of education that is not about utility but about the lifelong pursuit of wisdom and self-cultivation—a pursuit she believes remains vital even as AI reshapes the world.