Arising out of the grammatici (the tutors of the classical world), the liberal arts curriculum was codified in the middle ages and continued in various forms as the dominant education for the ruling classes of Europe through at least the 20th century. It is comprised of the trivium and quadrivium, combined with physical education (or at least exertion), and culminates in the study of philosophy in its broadest sense.
Done with texts from history, literature, and myth to develop cultural understanding and further moral education. The trivium consists of:
The hard science side of the liberal arts (despite the modern usage of the phrase to mean "the hummanities"). The quadrivium consists of:
Studied in totality, the liberal arts weave a web of thought patterns and knowledge that, while impractical on their face, have equipped generations to tackle every challenge they have faced.