--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The basic purpose of a liberal arts…" description: "\"The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest.\" — Barbara M. White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/barbara-m-white-84777_art_the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-educ_2434543.jpg" --- # The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to… ![“The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest.” quote by Barbara M. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/barbara-m-white-84777_art_the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-educ_2434543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/barbara-m-white-84777_art_the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-educ_2434543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e35/barbara-m-white-84777_art_the-basic-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-educ_2434543.jpg) > “The basic purpose of a liberal arts education is to liberate the human being to exercise his or her potential to the fullest.” [Barbara M. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-m-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocates that liberal arts empower individuals to fully realize their potential. **In simple terms:** Liberal arts free human potential. Key Takeaway Pursue broad education. Themes education personal development human potential Mood inspirational thoughtful Type educational philosophical When to use this quote - career planning - curriculum design - lifelong learning - personal growth Key Concepts Critical thinking self-actualization Questions to Reflect On - What skills does liberal arts develop most? - How can we balance breadth and depth? A Different Perspective May not address vocational skill gaps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-education/) [Arts education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arts-education/) [Basic Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-purpose-323030/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Education Liberate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education-liberate-323028/) [Exercise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exercise/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Liberal arts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-arts/) [Liberal arts education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberal-arts-education/) [Liberate Human](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberate-human-323029/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Purpose Liberal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose-liberal-323027/) ## Related quotes > [The purpose of a liberal arts education is to learn that a person can like both cats and dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marva-collins/the-purpose-of-a-liberal-arts-education-is-to-learn-that-a-person-can/) [Marva Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marva-collins/) > [I got a liberal arts education just because I felt like I should to keep my parents happy, but it was for them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-hahn/i-got-a-liberal-arts-education-just-because-i-felt-like-i-should-to/) [Kathryn Hahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-hahn/) > [When I finished high school, I was 16, and in Argentina you have to choose a career right after high school. There is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-pelli/when-i-finished-high-school-i-was-16-and-in-argentina-you-have-to/) [Cesar Pelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-pelli/) > [I'm not a big fan of journalism schools, except those that are organized around a liberal arts education. Have an understanding of history, economics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brokaw/i-m-not-a-big-fan-of-journalism-schools-except-those-that-are/) [Tom Brokaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brokaw/) > [The ability to recognize opportunities and move in new - and sometimes unexpected - directions will benefit you no matter your interests or aspirations.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-gilpin-faust/the-ability-to-recognize-opportunities-and-move-in-new-and-sometimes-2/) [Drew Gilpin Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-gilpin-faust/) > [My parents had an old-fashioned ideal of college, that four years at a liberal arts college should be a liberal arts education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-bowen/my-parents-had-an-old-fashioned-ideal-of-college-that-four-years-at-a/) [Julie Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-bowen/) > [I'm a product of an East Coast liberal arts educational system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-taibbi/i-m-a-product-of-an-east-coast-liberal-arts-educational-system/) [Matt Taibbi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-taibbi/) > [This is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster/this-is-what-the-real-no-bullshit-value-of-your-liberal-arts/) [David Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster/) > [I do regret that when I went to college, I didn't have a liberal arts education. 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I just wanted a liberal-arts education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-trotter/i-wasnt-using-college-as-a-stepping-stone-to-law-school-or-some-other/) [Charlie Trotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-trotter/) > [What is desperately needed... is the skepticism and the sense of history that a liberal arts education provides.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-rohatyn/what-is-desperately-needed-is-the-skepticism-and-the-sense-of-history/) [Felix Rohatyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-rohatyn/) > [I think the more you have a generalist perspective, I think sometimes the more you can kind of see through the forest and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-case/i-think-the-more-you-have-a-generalist-perspective-i-think-sometimes/) [Steve Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-case/) > [“They were and are children of privilege... the privilege taught, learned, and imbibed, in a "liberal arts education" is the privilege to indict. These…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/they-were-and-are-children-of-privilege-the-privilege-taught-learned/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [For some students, especially in the sciences, the knowledge gained in college may be directly relevant to graduate study. For almost all students, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-bok/for-some-students-especially-in-the-sciences-the-knowledge-gained-in/) [Derek Bok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-bok/) ## More by Barbara M. White > [Building trust is a process. Trust results from consistent and predictable interaction over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-m-white/building-trust-is-a-process-trust-results-from-consistent-and/) [Barbara M. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-m-white/) > [True, but irrelevant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-m-white/true-but-irrelevant/) [Barbara M. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-m-white/) [Explore all 3 Barbara M. White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-m-white/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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