Make bacteria glow in the dark in the molecular biology lab, throw a dodgeball in university physics lab, and burn colorful flames in general chemistry lab. There is great beauty in the natural world and how we are able to work within it. Man has used the order in the world to make a better life, and let’s face it, lab work is both critical to furthering our scientific knowledge and it’s fun. Becoming well-educated students in the liberal arts requires gaining the best comprehension of physics, chemistry, biology, and math available.
Pre-registration for the fall semester opens Nov. 8. Next semester or fall, take Chemistry 201, Biology 200, Math 120, and Physics 101 or 201. Although the classes for non-science majors are fine, it would be better for you and your fellow man to learn the foundations of scientific understanding.
Finding a place for the natural sciences in the liberal arts is easy, as the study of math and science provides operative perspectives on the world. The better we understand reality, the greater we grasp truth, which is the goal of studying the liberal arts. As a biochemistry major, I am constantly amazed at how the smallest changes inside of our cells have profound impacts on our well-being. When I study physics, I’m always taken aback when we can predict the exact landing location of a flying bullet using math, even though I know the equations well.
The truths obtained from scientific discovery have direct connections to other subjects in the liberal arts. We need science, an objective study, to inform our understanding of the world, which provides understanding to improve our politics, inform us of history, create a realistic framework for philosophy, produce great art and music, and, most of all, point us to the Creator. Nobody liberally educated should have insufficient foundations in any field, or they will have an incomplete understanding of the liberal arts.
For the past year, intense debate over science related to the pandemic occurred with many unable to separate fact from jargonized myth, which is nothing new, but was more intense than previous debates in recent history. A quality education in science can be of great use in making informed stances on such issues.
Science majors take the same intro-level classes required for humanities and social science majors and have no problem. Perhaps this means Hillsdale’s science majors have a stronger understanding of the liberal arts.
Remember, virtus tentamine gaudet. Live up to the challenge and enroll in the same intro-level classes science majors take.
