Do you know the three questions "True, Good and Beauty'' that reveal "Who you are'' and "How you are different from others''?

今日はリベラルアーツについてみていきましょう。探究型学習の専門家である矢作邦彦氏は、「真・善・美」の概念を用いて、自分を理解し、個々の違いを認めることを提案しています。また、伝統的に非実用的とされてきたリベラルアーツは、情報に基づいた選択を行い、世界をより深く理解するのに役立つとされています。文法、修辞学、論理学、算術、幾何学、音楽、天文学を含むこれらの科目は、自己発見とコミュニケーションのためのツールであり、個人がより良い意思決定をし、他者と関わることを可能にします。(English) Let's take a look at the liberal arts today. Kunihiko Yahagi, an expert in inquiry-based learning, suggests using the concepts of "truth, goodness, and beauty" to understand oneself and appreciate individual differences. In addition, the liberal arts, traditionally considered non-practical, can help make informed choices and provide a deeper understanding of the world. These subjects, including grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy, are tools for self-discovery and communication, enabling individuals to make better decisions and relate to others.

Do you know the three questions "True, Good and Beauty'' that reveal "Who you are'' and "How you are different from others''?

The answer lies in the liberal arts (4)

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A)

1)

This is the Greek temple of Apollo. The words "Know thyself" were carved on the pillars at the entrance to this temple. Socrates said, "Be aware of your ignorance". photo a_Taiga/iStock

People are surprisingly unaware of themselves. Kunihiko Yahagi, a leading expert on "inquiry-based learning", introduces a method of learning oneself in his book "Training the Ability to Think for Yourself - A Classroom Without Correct Answers". What is it like?

B)

2)

What kind of person am I? Only you can understand this. It is said that the words "Know thyself" were once carved into the entrance to the temple of Apollo in Greece. What do you think it means?

3)

Ancient Greek philosophers believed that the human mind and nature could never be fully understood. This means that you will never fully understand yourself. There are various possible interpretations, such as the message to be humble before God, and the importance of the attitude of facing up, even when you know it is impossible.

4)

A guideline for thinking about who you are is "truth, goodness and beauty".

< Truth> What do you believe?

<Good>What do you think is good?

<Beauty> What do you find beautiful?

What is your "truth, goodness and beauty"? "Please name three of each."

5)

Let's introduce the answers often given when this "truth, goodness and beauty" is discussed in class.

There are also answers that < Truth> is family, friends, myself, God, money, favourite artists, knowledge and skills. Everyone is different, so it is impossible to write in textbooks that "truth is like this".

6)

<Beauty> can be divided into tangible and intangible. Real things are divided into natural or artificial; supernatural things are further divided into spiritual things, such as mind and memory, and organized things, such as perspectives and relationships.

7)

Of the three, <good> is the one most people worry about. It's different from the "ethics" we learn at school, but that opinion often comes up. Morality determines what is good and what is wrong based on social values. However, we do not necessarily have the same feelings and opinions as everyone else.

C)

8)

For example, some people think it is good to protect wild animals, while others believe it is good to watch them in the wild. There are many things that "I think it's better not to do, even though the law says it's good". Laws also vary from country to country and from time to time.

9)

It's often said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". But what do you think? It seems plausible. But if you think about it carefully, there is a hidden assumption that you and others have the same sense. So if you don't hate yourself, is that a problem? Just as we all have different likes and dislikes about food, we all have other likes and dislikes and degrees of behaviour. So it's not about whether you don't like being done to yourself.

10)

We all have different personalities, experiences and values. So it is impossible to understand each other completely. But that's why it's important not to give up but try to understand and think a little.

11)

All communication begins with facing each other. That is why it is essential to recognize that you are different from others by first identifying your values. Or I think it's important to realize that everyone is different.

If your child says: "I don't know what it means to go to school or to study", what will you say?

The answer lies in the liberal arts (3)

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D)

12)

Both humans and bananas are creatures of the Earth. It is said that humans, bananas, and many animals and plants on Earth have many similarities in their genes. Photo romrodinka/iStock

"I don't understand the point of going to school", "I don't understand the point of studying" - what would you say to these children's tweets? You might end up saying things like "Don't say that" or "I'll do it even if I don't understand it". I asked the same question to Mr Kunihiko Yahagi, a leading expert on "inquiry-based learning" who recommends studying the liberal arts.

E)

13)

I will ask the junior high and high school students why they do not want to attend school. The overwhelming number of answers was "I don't understand the meaning of school and studying". What do you mean it doesn't make sense?

It's not that I don't understand the content; I don't know the value and benefits of attending school and studying. In other words, you don't see how it relates to your present and future.

14)

For example, if you have a cat, learning how to take care of it and its behaviour is relevant. It is easy to understand when there is such a common keyword. However, going to school and studying may not precisely overlap with your hobbies and future dreams.

15)

If you don't understand the connection, it's natural that your priority will go down. So is there anything that doesn't matter to us?

Find relationships between seemingly irrelevant things and irrelevant things and draw a diagonal line. That's what I call editing.

16)

My father was not a man of many words, but one day he told me that the world is like a web. We don't realize it, but everything is connected. When I heard that, I vividly remember the image of the web expanding in my head and overlapping with my vision.

17)

Based on our knowledge and experience, we feel whether there is a relationship. Unfortunately, relationships are often judged based on classifications and systems of predecessors such as Aristotle. But that's just one way of looking at it. So how do we find new relationships? 　

F)

18)

It is no coincidence, for example, that Newton discovered the law of universal gravitation when he saw a falling apple. He kept thinking about it, learning and observing unrelated things daily. That's why he should have noticed the unknown connection.

As long as we exist in the same world, there is always a direct or indirect relationship. You and I always have a relationship. Then, of course, there is also the relationship between the reader and the writer, but there should have been a relationship before that.

G)

19)

Take your family tree, for example. You have two parents. I have four grandparents. How many great-grandparents do you have? Eight people, right? I don't think I've given it much thought beyond that point. But four generations before you, you had 16 ancestors. 32 people in the 5th generation and 64 in the 6th generation. In your 10th generation, it's 1,024; in your 20th generation, it's 1,048,567! So there are 8,388,608 people in their 23s.

20)

It is recorded that the population of Japan in the Muromachi period was 8.18 million. So, by simple arithmetic, it will exceed the people at that time. On the other hand, the population of the Jomon period is thought to have been about 20,000. So it's no longer challenging to think of you and me as complete "strangers".

21)

Incidentally, humans and chimpanzees share 98.5% of their genes and probably have the same ancestor. But humans and bananas also share more than 50% of their genes. So if you think about it, there might not be anything unrelated. If so, we can say everything has a hidden meaning, even if we are unaware.

What would you say if your child said, "Freedom is a bother? I want you to decide what to do!"

The answer lies in the liberal arts (2)

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H)

22)

The sources of the liberal arts are grammar, rhetoric, logic, arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy. This is called "liberal arts(Latin=septem artes liberales)". 　Photo Nastasic/iStock

When you hear the word "liberal arts", many people may have an image of the general education you get at university. But Kunihiko Yahagi, a leading expert on "inquiry-based learning," says that in this unpredictable age, liberal arts are necessary for a fulfilling life. He asked why.

I)

23)

In medieval Europe, the liberal arts were considered a critical education for free men freed from physical labour. "Physical labour", in this case, refers to work that is determined by others. In other words, a "free man" can choose what to do.

24)

Some might think, "Freedom is too much trouble, so I want you to decide what to do," but that's OK. Being free to choose whether or not to decide is what Freedom is all about. You are free to follow the opinion of someone you trust or to ride the system. You are free to get out and think for yourself. That is true Freedom.

25)

So what can help you make such a free choice in life? There are two big answers.

The first is language and communication skills. We do not live alone. You will explore what you like while living with and being influenced by many people. So the most influential liberal arts subject is language.

26)

What do you think are the characteristics of human beings? First of all, language. What was the first thing that language made possible? It means you can talk about people who are not here now, about places that are not here. You can also talk about the past and the future beyond time. Since the invention of writing, sending messages to people in different places or at other times has become possible.

J)

27)

The second thing that helps us make free choices is knowing what the world is like. For example, what is the difference between "law" and "natural Laws "? They are both "Laws " (orders made by God) in English, so it's hard to see the difference. In Japanese, however, there is a clear distinction, which makes it easier to think about. "natural Laws " generally apply to everyone, everywhere, at all times, such as falling when you throw them or losing your strength when you're hungry. Laws are the rules that people make in every place. 　

* What is the difference between law and natural law?

Laws: The ruling norms that govern social life.

natural Laws: 1. A relationship can be established anytime, anywhere, under certain conditions. 2. Rules.

28)

We can't change the "natural Laws ", but we may be able to change the "Laws ". This is also part of the structure of the world. When we choose to do something, we think not only about whether we want to do it but also about the possibility of doing it. Knowing what the world is like makes it easier to infer probabilities and guide our choices. (It is the structure of the world that laws and natural Laws are combined in the same word, law).　

K)

29)

In medieval Europe, the liberal arts were divided into seven subjects. There are three courses on language: grammar, rhetoric and logic, and four on the structure of the world: arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy.

30)

Grammar is the rules of language, rhetoric is the art of communication, and logic is the right way to think. Arithmetic is a way of thinking about the one-dimensional world using numbers, and geometry is a way of thinking about the two-dimensional (flat) and three-dimensional (solid) world using figures. Music is a way of thinking about the flow of time. Astronomy is a way of thinking about the four-dimensional world (time and space), this world itself.

31)

These fields of study have long been described in Japan as "pure, non-practical education not directly related to work". In Europe, however, we have cultivated the idea that "before you can be an expert, you must be a good person". Education may not be immediately helpful, but learning has a lasting impact on life.

If your child said, "I don't want to study because I don't need money and I don't want to be great," what would you say?

The answer lies in the liberal arts (1)

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L)

32)

Near the birthplace and grave of Shoin Yoshida is a bronze statue of Shoin (left). He is in Shimoda, Izu, hoping to see the US fleet with his pupil Yusuke Kaneko to try to stow away. Photo Asahi Shimbun

It is said that we are in an unpredictable era. I can't imagine a simple future where I can be happy if I get into a good school and good company. So what should parents say when their children ask about the point of studying? We asked Kunihiko Yahagi, a leading "inquiry-based learning" figure, who recommends studying the liberal arts.

M)

33)

Have you ever studied and asked yourself, "Why do I have to do this? When I was in junior high school, I often thought about subjects I wasn't particularly interested in or when I didn't get along with my teacher. So what are we studying for?

34)

If you have a passion or a dream, the reason to study is simple: for a better life. If it's something you're interested in, learning is fun in itself, and if it's for your dreams, it's worth it, even if it's a bit difficult. You may think you want to do something for the world and others, not for yourself, but if you want to do it, it's for you too.

35)

To make a better life, you must make your own choices. For example, where will you go to school, what will you study, what kind of friends will you have, what kind of teacher will you check with, and who will you fall in love with? "There are choices like these that will significantly affect your life.

What will you eat today, what stationery will you use, what books will you read, what films will you watch? We create our lives by making different daily choices, including these small ones (but if they add up, they will affect our lives). This is when I learn to make better choices.

36)

What if you don't have any aspirations, dreams, or schoolwork that doesn't seem directly related to your ambitions or goals?

Many adults and students unanimously say "for the future". Specifically, "to get to a certain position where you don't have to worry about money". They say it is necessary to "go to a good school and get a job in a good company" to achieve this. I have asked many students, parents and teachers the same question, and most have the same answer.

N)

37)

However, occasionally, a child comes along who says: "I don't need money, and I don't want to be great, so why don't I study? How would you respond?

38)

In the Edo period, there was an idea that being educated meant understanding people's feelings. In other words, studying is to understand people's feelings. Therefore, the more you learn, the more likely you know and empathize with more people. As a result, people will trust you so you will be entrusted with work and leadership. If you do that, you will get status and money.

O)

39)

I like this idea. I don't think people who want money or status can be trusted (literally). I don't believe some people don't want money or group, but (really) no one doesn't want to understand other people's feelings. Besides, the more you learn, the more likely you will discover your dreams and what you want to do.

40)

In the same Edo period, wealthy merchants who had much fun also went to private schools. So even if you do the same thing, you can enjoy it more if you have knowledge and education. In other words, to live happily is also a reason to learn. So even if it's not fun now, it can become more and more fun after learning.

"To study is to learn the reason for being human."　

41)

This is the concept of Shoka Sonjuku taught by Shoin Yoshida, an educator in the Edo period. In other words, we must understand people to understand their feelings, make better choices, and live better lives.

So what is it to be human? "And what kind of person am I?"

42)

It is "to be able to choose how to live" and to do so, "to be able to think properly" and "to understand other people's feelings".

The basis for this is learning, which is called the liberal arts.