Institutionalizing a New Humanistic Synthesis: Toward a Business Humanities Approach

How might educators better balance liberal learning (the proper aim of which is the development of the whole person) with education that provides training in technical skills needed for a trade or a working profession suitable to provide for one’s family and contribute to the common good? In Caritas in Veritate, Pope Benedict called for “new efforts of holistic understanding and a new humanistic synthesis.” This article proposes a “business humanities” approach by considering what might be learned from the medical humanities (while noting the corresponding lack of “business humanities” and describing this approach). Several recent works that call for a reexamination of business education along with a deeper integration involving the liberal arts are examined. After showing why a business humanities approach is appropriate for Catholic colleges and universities, practical steps are discussed for implementing and institutionalizing a business humanities approach at Catholic colleges and universities