The liberal arts are intended to facilitate the development of general intellectual capacities. The first of its subjects is the social sciences, which are academic disciplines that focus on the assessment of human mannerisms as members of society and the interaction between individuals and groups in any given context (Garcia, 2022). Disciplines in the aforementioned field typically conduct interviews and conduct surveys during research. The subjects that comprise the social sciences include archeology, sociology, history, anthropology, economics, psychology, women’s studies, and political science (Garcia, 2022). The main focus of these subjects is the development of universal laws concerning human thought and behavior.
Natural sciences are disciplines that focus on the explication, prediction, and understanding of phenomena using techniques such as experimentation and observation. The aforementioned liberal arts lens applies the scientific method, which involves elaborate steps that guide the demystification of curiosities. First, scientists make an observation, after which they ask questions that guide their information-gathering activities (Biscontini, 2022). Next, a hypothesis is formed, after which experiments are designed to test the proposed theory (Biscontini, 2022). Finally, the collected data is analyzed and a conclusion regarding the findings is made.
History is a liberal arts lens that prioritizes the academic examination of past events. The subject is often applied in public policy development in view of the fact that it assesses contemporary conditions in society and provides commentary on future alternatives given the prevailing technological and societal trends (Kronzek, 2022). Among the key issues addressed in history include the impact of war, governance, and ancient civilizations such as the Greeks and the Romans. It is worth noting that history actively examines societal issues and the impact civilizations have had on human development. History prioritizes the assessment of society in the context of events at the time, thus providing a comprehensive summation of the people’s thoughts and influences.
The humanities are areas of study that prioritize the evaluation of elements that characterize human culture and society. The main area of focus in this field is the assessment of society’s quest for humanity, which has lasted for centuries (Shaughnessy, 2017). There is a distinct application of speculative methods in the evaluation of the various facets of humanity. The humanities comprise subjects such as philosophy, literature, art, law, religion, human languages, and geography.
There are certain differences that emerge in the analysis of the lenses of the liberal arts. For instance, while life and natural sciences depend on rigorous scientific methods that involve the observation of phenomena to collect data, the social sciences defer to interviews and surveys, which may not be as scientifically inclined. In addition, the humanities apply a speculative approach rather than the empirical methodologies that dominate the natural sciences in the contextualization of human phenomena.
It is vital to note that the liberal arts lenses are similar in certain key respects. For example, both history and social sciences focus on the examination of human interactions in different contexts. The investigation of the impact of civilizations and societal issues through history bears similarities to the social sciences’ examination of human interactions and relations in different groups. In addition, the humanities are similar to history and social sciences by virtue of the fact that they evaluate humanity’s cultural, artistic, and linguistic transitions through time.
Voting is a foundational principle in any democracy because it is the expression of a people’s civil liberties. The protection and the expansion of the right to vote are essential in so far as it defines a nation’s dedication to serving and safeguarding its people’s rights. The areas of interest include the measures that can be taken to address voter suppression and the extent to which the Voting Rights Act impacts participation in elections. Finally, it is vital to understand the measures that have been taken to enhance the electorate’s diversity.
References
Biscontini, T. (2022). Scientific literacy. In Salem Press Encyclopedia. Salem Press.
Garcia, J. D. (2022). Social science. In Salem Press Encyclopedia. Salem Press.
Kronzek, L. (2022). History. In Salem Press Encyclopedia. Salem Press.
Shaughnessy, M. F. (2017). The humanities: Past, present and future. Nova Science Publishers.