In the Oxford English Dictionary, we find the following definition:
liberal arts (n.) – Originally: the seven subjects of the trivium (grammar, rhetoric, and logic) and quadrivium (arithmetic, geometry, music, and astronomy) considered collectively (now historical). In later use more generally: arts subjects as opposed to science and technology.
The term “liberal arts” has not always meant what it means today. In its original and proper sense, it referred to a fixed and well-defined course of study consisting of seven disciplines: Grammar, Logic and Rhetoric (the Trivium), and Arithmetic, Geometry, Music, and Astronomy (the Quadrivium). These were called “liberal” arts because they were considered suitable for free men—those who were to live by reason, not by manual labor. Together, they formed a complete system of intellectual training, ordered toward the pursuit of truth in philosophy and theology. The liberal arts were not a general collection of subjects, but a structured program designed to discipline the mind in reading, reasoning, and understanding the nature of reality.
Over time, however, the meaning of the term began to change. During the Renaissance, educators shifted their focus from the structured study of logic and mathematics to the reading of classical literature and the development of style. While the ancient authors were valuable, this change weakened the original unity and purpose of the liberal arts. In the centuries that followed, especially with the rise of modern science, the goal of education was gradually redefined. Knowledge came to be understood less as the contemplation of truth and more as a means of practical mastery over nature. As a result, the original liberal arts no longer held the same central role in education.
By the nineteenth century, the structure of the traditional curriculum had largely disappeared. Universities were reorganized around specialized disciplines and scientific research. In this new system, the term “liberal arts” was retained, but its meaning changed. It no longer referred to the seven arts of the Trivium and Quadrivium, but instead came to mean a broad category of non-technical or non-scientific subjects. This is the definition reflected in the Oxford English Dictionary, which notes that the original meaning is now “historical,” while the modern usage refers generally to arts subjects as opposed to science and technology.
This modern definition is fundamentally negative in character. It does not define what the liberal arts are, but rather what they are not. “Liberal arts” now commonly refers to studies that are not practical, not vocational, and not part of the scientific or technological disciplines. In this way, the term is used to group together a wide range of subjects—literature, history, philosophy, and others—not because they share a common method or purpose, but simply because they fall outside the dominant fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The unity that once existed in the liberal arts has been replaced by a loose classification based on exclusion.
This shift represents more than a change in vocabulary. It reflects a deeper transformation in the purpose and structure of education. The original liberal arts were a unified system ordered toward the formation of the intellect and the knowledge of truth. The modern use of the term, however, refers to a loose collection of subjects without a common method or end. As a result, many institutions today speak of “liberal arts education” while no longer teaching the liberal arts in their original sense. The name has been preserved, but the meaning has been fundamentally altered.
This modern use of the term also creates significant confusion. When people hear “liberal arts,” they often think of general education, humanities courses, or a broad college experience that excludes technical or scientific training. As a result, when the Classical Liberal Arts Academy speaks of the liberal arts, it is often misunderstood as offering a similar kind of program. In reality, the Academy is working with the original and historical meaning of the term, referring to a specific and ordered course of study with defined subjects, methods, and goals. For this reason, it is necessary to distinguish carefully between the modern, popular use of the phrase and its classical meaning. Without this distinction, discussions of education become confused, and the true nature of classical liberal arts study is easily lost.
Mr. William C. Michael, O.P.
Headmaster
Classical Liberal Arts Academy
