Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

12 Aug, 09 AM - 15 Aug, 03 AM

Our collaboration explores and finds deliberate ways to link the traditional transcendent values of the liberal arts (i.e. truth, virtue and beauty) with vocation. The classical triad of virtues - truth, beauty, and goodness form the core of a liberal arts education, yet our students rarely know that these values are the foundation of their chosen discipline and could help guide their future contributions to their respective communities. Regardless of culture and religiosity, the essential components of good character are constant. Virtue occurs when individuals habitually recognize and do the right thing. Truth trumps falsehood. Beauty, both intrinsic and subjective, is better than ugliness. Contemplating beauty also helps us to appreciate life and prompts us to live better. Each concept involves an outer understanding, within a cultural and educational context, and an inner conversion so that individuals find deep motivations for their life's work. But how do students come by the knowledge of truth, goodness, and beauty? And how do professors help students come to a better understanding of how this classic liberal arts education can enrich one's vocation? We learn these essential lessons by hearing stories, reflecting on self, and explaining one's position to others, and ultimately acting in ways that spread understanding. The question, 'what is beauty, virtue and truth?' has engaged human intellect for millennia. A scientist might mean the beauty of biodiversity, life's processes, or truth revealed from conducting an experiment. Literature and rhetoric articulate our spiritual connection with beauty (our 'green nature'). Poetry, prose and speech express beauty and verbalize truths as a way to illustrate virtue. Ultimately, no one discipline or perspective can fully address the question. Thus, we propose to examine this question from an interdisciplinary perspective, perspectives that will link the philosophical contributions of the arts and sciences more deliberately. Moreover, we want to engage as many people as possible, and seek to reach a large audience through a combination of discipline-specific classes, and college-wide workshops or retreats. We want to use the reserve system to articulate our personal positions, teach one another about our discipline and organize specific activities for our students. We would like to stay at Big Creek for a several days. I would be leading hikes and talking about ways that scientists pursue 'truth' and explore beauty and how our passion can spur us into activism (virtue). My collaborators also have some activities to help us develop our respective components (creative writing, using speech to persuade others, etc) and would like to use the reserve environment to stimulate these creative aspects. We would like to stay at Whale Point. We will be using the trail systems and the facilities at the cabin. We will now collect nor manipulate any organisms on the Reserve.

Visit #5305 @Landels-Hill Big Creek Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 4204 | Research

Interdisciplinary collaboration focused on the liberal arts

faculty - Gustavus Adolphus College

Reservation Members(s)

Group of 3 Faculty Aug 12 - 15, 2004 (4 days)

Reserve Resources(s) | Create Invoice

Whale Point Researcher Cabin 3 Aug 12 - 15, 2004