Why Liberal Education Matters Today

Dr. Thomas Hibbs

Making the case for the enduring relevance of the liberal arts tradition, Dr. Thomas Hibbs gave a talk recently to Zaytuna College students about the connection between our politics and the degradation of our language. Dr. Hibbs uses an essay by George Orwell to point out the reciprocal relationship between language and thought, and warns students not to repeat “ready-made phrases” mindlessly. “What Orwell is advocating here is for us to take self-conscious ownership of our own language so that we don’t just, in a sloppy or slovenly way, repeat things that we never thought clearly about,” he said. Dr. Hibbs, an abiding advocate of liberal education, is a philosophy professor at Baylor University, having recently served as president of the University of Dallas.