1
Teaching You How to Think
A liberal education, in its literal meaning, is “an approach to learning that empowers
individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity, and change” (McCuen). In his
2005 Kenyon College Commencement Address, David Foster Wallace explores the true meaning
behind a liberal arts education and what value it holds, explaining how the biggest take away
from it is a greater adaptability in one’s thinking. However, does every academic institution that
claims to offer a liberal arts education actually achieve the goals that Wallace has laid out? In
order to answer that question, we must first understand the main concepts of Wallace’s address.
Throughout the speech, Wallace utilizes a wide array of examples to convey his thoughts
on a liberal arts education, which is that it is all about “teaching you how to think” (Wallace).
Being taught how to think seems like an unnecessary lesson but it is actual a skill that many do
