Humanities, and Explain the Distinction

¶ … humanities," and explain the distinction between the humanities and other modes of human inquiry and expression. The humanities are a way for students to learn more about intellectual and general knowledge, rather than scientific knowledge or professional training. The humanities are a development of the Roman Cicero, who created the humanitas, where he trained orators around 55 BC, and a Greek academy that trained young men to be good citizens. The study of humanities includes education in art, literature, philosophy, language, and history, and creates a more well rounded and complete educational experience, rather than concentrating on science, technology, or occupational training. This is the main difference between the humanities and the sciences - the humanities is concerned with the philosophy and "why," of study, while the sciences are concerned with concrete solutions. The humanities are concerned with human beings and their history and thought, while the sciences are concerned with specific problems and solutions.

The following specific examples of art, music, architecture, philosophy, and literature illustrate the current developments in the humanities, and indicate how they affect our lives in numerous, compelling ways.

Art - an interesting example of modern artwork is Jean Dubuffet's "Manoir d'Essor," which lies at the entrance to the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. This informal sculpture illustrates current developments in modern art, which has evolved from the cubism and oddities of Picasso to the ultimate in free-form sculpture that really represents nothing other than shape, color, and texture. Early attempts at art were almost always attempts at portraying the subjects as perfectly and exactly as possible, but today, art as a humanity represents much more, it can be abstract, and even encompasses "performance art," where the artist actually becomes a part of his or her artwork. This sculpture is nothing more than a white block covered with abstract black lines, and yet, there is something pleasing and "artistic" about it and that is the true mark of a work of art - it is artistic and pleasing to the eye. Art greatly affects us because it entertains, enriches our lives, and adds beauty to any surroundings.

Music - Modern music encompasses everything from rap and hip-hop to symphonies and opera, and that is one reason music is such a rich element of the humanities. Modern pop music is not pleasing to everyone, but with the popularity of TV shows like "American Idol," it is clear pop music is still important and vital to our society. Throughout history, pop music has always entertained, enlightened, and even discussed social problems, such as the folk and pop music of the 60s that cried out messages of peace and environmental change. Modern pop music is no different. Pop songs from singers like Madonna and Kelly Clarkson celebrate love and life, but also discuss social change and social problems, like teenage pregnancy. This music certainly reflects current developments in politics (anti-Iraq war protests), socioeconomics (the poor in society), and technology (use of new instruments and recording techniques). The music affects our lives in so many ways, from enlightening us to social problems, to entertaining us, and even comforting us in times of stress, which makes it an important, even vital, element of the humanities.

Architecture - a relatively recent architectural work is the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. This magnificent building seems to be a series of shining free-form flowing sheets of molten metal and spheres, and yet, it is elegant and quite sophisticated. Architecture, like the other humanities, has changed and become much more bold and free flowing, as this building illustrates. Architecture is more than simply designing comfortable living and working spaces, architecture is pleasing to the eye and excites the senses, just as this building does. It is extremely important to the humanities, because it gives a very vivid illustration of how building knowledge and sophistication has helped change the way buildings are created and designed, and it creates beauty even in a simple wall or roof.

Philosophy - Philosophy has always been a cornerstone of the humanities, because it seeks to delve deeper into humanity and why we exist - what our purpose is. A modern philosopher is the Dalai Lama of Tibet, who is a spiritual leader and philosopher who preaches a message of peace and hope for all people. He urges people to pursue knowledge, which is a central tenet of philosophy, because knowledge is power and knowledge is enlightening. Of all the aspects of the humanities, philosophy may be the most important, because it is vital to our self-awareness and appreciation, and it helps us understand others and accept them as they are.