In the article “Only Connect…”, William Cronon offers his stance in an argumentative fashion of the qualities that a true liberal arts educated person should possess. He is responding to the people and educators who try to produce liberally educated people by creating a sort of “formula.” They are the people that are part of the educational system that list the necessary courses that students must take in order to achieve a liberal education and say that the purpose of a liberal arts education is to complete this set of courses. Although it is easy to follow this, Cronon states that the essence of a liberal arts education is something much more and far greater than that. To him, it is one that fosters growth, freedom, and ten qualities that he goes on to list.

His central argument is that success in school needs to be calculated by how well students live up to these ten important qualities and only then can people be described to be liberally educated. To support this, Cronon gives an example of a real institution that lists the four aims of a liberal education and explains that “it is hardly a statement that stirs and inspires the soul.” This is evidence as to what an institution should not do to create liberally educated people. As to what an institution should do, his list is a good source for what universities and schools should strive to incorporate inside and outside the classroom. In a sense, it offers the ideal example of a liberally educated person and serves as a template to mimic.

I find Cronon’s argument to be extremely persuasive because he presents a counter-arguement, his argument and reasons to support both. His extensive and well-explained list also shows that he has spent a lot of time pondering, researching, and studying what comprises a liberally educated individual. I also find his conclusion that presents the two warnings that deal with individualism and liberal education as a lifestyle shows that the author is aware of what he is explaining. He even admits that what he had said earlier in the text is misleading. Further, I found his concluding paragraph to be very persuasive and inspiring because it ties the whole text to the idea of human connection and love for one another. It evokes the idea that a liberal education serves not only oneself, but the community. However, to make a clear distinction between Cronon’s ideas and my own, I would like to read about how other people define someone as liberally educated because it can potentially mean something different to everyone, and then I can see where my stance lies.