The Ashbrook Center held a colloquium on Friday, featuring keynote speaker, Dr. Eric Adler, a professor from the University of Maryland.

In his speech, titled, “What Should the Humanities Do?”, he focused on how the study of humanities in colleges are starting to disappear and how colleges are focusing on students deciding what is popular.

Adler took a unique approach to the subject. Instead of using the traditional humanities arguments, such as skills, Adler argued the value of studying humanities in order to answer the greater questions of life.

“I’m going to argue that defenders of the modern humanities in order for their disciplines to survive and thrive,” said Adler in his speech. “On the contemporary college campus one? must under-score the unique contributions of the humanities to a properly educated person. As you’ll see, my perspective will implicitly support the kind of core curriculum that plays a part in Ashland University general education program ultimately I am going to vouch for.”

Adler talked about core programs at universities and how most college students view them as a “box checked off”.

He also put a great deal of emphasis on how students should not be fully responsible for deciding their classes, but should have a guide like a professor to help them take classes that could potentially benefit the student.

After Adler wrapped up his speech, many students in the audience had questions for Adler.

One student asked whether professors in the humanities think of themselves as better than other subjects like the sciences.

He answered simply that the “humanities should not consider themselves as better, but should show value in a positive way.”

Adler’s talk was one filled with inspiration and positivity to shape the humanities on college campuses into a new direction.