Sir, – I totally agree with Finn McRedmond’s opinion piece on the value of an arts degree (“Why you should do an arts degree”, Opinion & Analysis, June 30th). Having just retired from clinical practice in medicine after 38 years, I can honestly say that I learned more about the workings of the human mind from the study of literature during the three years of the BA I did before I started to study medicine than I ever did from any medical lecture, tutorial or textbook. In addition to showing us how to experience the world through the eyes of others and in doing so to be more empathetic, the humanities also recharge our batteries and protect us from burnout by revealing the intangible beauty of the world we live in that we often fail to appreciate as we rush around in our busy technology-dominated lives. – Yours, etc,
CHRIS FITZPATRICK ,
Dublin 6.