the importance of studying humanities essay

the importance of studying humanities essay

The Importance of Studying Humanities

1. Introduction

The humanities can be described as the study of how people process and document the human experience. Since humans have been able, we have used philosophy, literature, religion, art, music, history, and language to understand and record our world. This quest to understand and record has only deepened throughout time. It is an important endeavor for the betterment of our global community. The humanities are more than just a course of study on paper, and they are certainly greater than the sum of their parts. They build the scaffolding for a nation’s culture in the arts and intellectual achievements. Collectively, the humanities are the cultural heart of a society—they greatly influence a nation’s development and help to define its character. They are important to the world’s populace because they help people to understand others through language and to understand themselves. Widening our knowledge of the human experience increases our understanding of our own lives. This often brings us comfort during times of difficulty, and it could also prepare us to recognize and confront any disheartenment in our personal lives. And of course, history teaches us things about ourselves and the world around us. It helps us understand how things came to be and why they are the way they are. History is concrete in its nature but is surprisingly important in the sciences because medical research isn’t only about solving problems with the human body—it’s also about understanding human life and culture, which is the human experience. That leads us right back to humanity. History is a vital source of medical research questions, and it offers an abundance of material on human behavior, which is a subject best understood by the humanities.

2. Understanding Human Experience

Learning to predict and control human behavior An example from legal research may serve to illustrate how the two approaches apply. The most typical legal research is that aimed at prediction and control of behavior, the understanding here being sought for very practical reasons. While there are excellent studies of specific areas of law, there is as yet no coordinated body of socio-legal knowledge available to the student of law which can be used as a basis for policy decision and action. Incomparably more is known about criminal law than criminal behavior, about domestic relations law than about the functioning of the family in relation to that area of law, and so on. The law student lacking the preparatory sociological knowledge is forced to make assumptions and value judgments improperly grounded and is often unduly swayed by the emotional factors which are always potent in matters of law and justice.

The goals of understanding human experience Two goals are basic to an understanding of human experience; the first concerns general, and the second, specific human behavior. The first goal is to improve the capability to predict the behavior of others, for improvement here is essential to successful action. This goal requires the establishment of an orderly body of data relating to the behavior under consideration. That is, we must know what to look for, what to record, and how to record it, as a basis for comparing our observations and conclusions with those of others. Such data are not yet forthcoming on most basic topics of sociology; perhaps the mere recognition of the importance of this goal may result in a systematization of effort directed toward the acquiring of pertinent knowledge. The second goal, often too lightly disregarded, is the understanding of general human behavior for the light it may throw on the nature of man. This goal calls for an escape from the limiting confines of provincialism, class prejudice, and temporal distortion, since the nature of man is something which has always been and will always be. It requires both breadth and depth of comparison in order that conclusions drawn may be validated and generalized.

3. Developing Critical Thinking Skills

If a student has a major level of critical thinking ability in the research and analysis part, they can create another foundation for their future. Since the ability to research and analyze information is crucial in all academic studies, critical thinking is applicable across all academic disciplines. The task is to gain knowledge, understand that information, make assumptions, and also criticize the same. They will be able to judge many things between two contradictable pieces of information, and at some point, they can prepare a case study.

At the beginning level, students can develop critical thinking, for instance, in their daily lectures. They can ask questions in class or directly to the lecturer, write things in their daily diary, make lists of reasons or options, make decisions, and try many methods for problem-solving. This exercise will be fruitful for their further study, and they can also create a culture of group discussion. Additionally, this habit will show visible development in students’ personality along with their studies.

This kind of self-study, critical thinking skill is an essential feature for undergraduates as it develops rational thinking rather than mugging up systematically. It will help faculty to know their students’ level of understanding, how well they think, and how they are making sense of the subject matter. Actually, critical thinking starts with the process of assessing information and ends up with evaluating or analyzing that information.

4. Fostering Cultural Appreciation

In times of conflict, understanding other cultures can prevent dehumanization of enemy groups and foster peace. A simple first step is just to create interest and tolerance between cultures, and taking time to learn about various world cultures through your own personal study of humanities is a good way to support this. An understanding of the different cultures and values that compose the tapestry of the human experience can bring about acceptance of cultural diversity as a fundamental aspect of humanity. The overarching goal of humanities study is better understanding of the human world and its people can only further intercultural understanding and help create a more unified global community.

Today, there are many international problems and issues that require cooperation between different societies. Knowledge of other cultures can often foster empathy and understanding between peoples and help solve these problems.

In our own modern age, the world is becoming increasingly interconnected. Emerging technology, rapidly increasing population, and global problems all thrust different societies into interaction. This interaction spawns exchanges of goods, information, and people, which creates increasing diversity and cultural pluralism in individual societies. Globalization can lead to the dominance of one culture over others. It brings about loss of cultural traditions and identities, a process known as cultural erosion. Global studies are the study of global issues and the effects of increasing interconnection on world cultures. This is important in trying to maintain cultural diversity and preserve the unique cultural heritages of different peoples. The specific focus of art conservation, classical studies, and language preservation. These studies not only help maintain a record of world cultures available for future generations but provide the knowledge and skills needed to actively preserve cultural heritages.

Geography is a study of the earth and mankind, which helps give understanding of cultures from the perspective of their environment. The study of different world cultures through anthropology gives a better understanding of cultural differences and what it means to be human.

Visitors from the past to our own culture are hard to come by. The best way to meet the people of another time is in history, and literature is a way that often gives direct insights into the ways of life of the past and of foreign peoples. These offer insights and understanding to cultures vastly different from modern western society that cannot easily be gained from other disciplines.

Humanities study helps you understand the notion of culture and the place of humanity in the world. Culture is the way humans have lived and what they have created over time. A culture is the product of the history of a given people, and the record of it is contained in literature, religion, art, law, and philosophy. To understand the culture of a society, you must study the above. To understand another culture, you need to understand similar things that the culture you want to understand has in common with your own culture, and the ways it differs.

5. Enhancing Communication and Empathy

Plain humanities classes have been popular for computer and natural sciences engineers, highlighting the importance of communication. Engineers always have a strong need to improve their English skills in order to communicate better with each other and also to reach a level where their fellow English-speaking scholars can understand them. We do not deny the importance of good communication, as knowledge is increasing in all areas of human life. However, it is arguably most valuable to be able to communicate with empathy and understanding in all different circumstances. Technical knowledge alone is not enough to ensure effective communication, as it often leads to the use of jargon and terminology specific to the field, creating a gap between those who speak the same language but have different knowledge. When it comes to translating a scientific or technical concept to someone else, there is often a lack of empathy between the teacher and the learner. The teacher does not want to mislead the learner and doubts whether they truly understand the complex subject. This is where the best aspects of humanities come into play, as they try to interpret different times or the same subject from a deep understanding. It is also a great opportunity to test the education that I am receiving. I often think that I have accomplished something because I did not understand, and it requires effort to find out whether the action was good or bad.

The expressive aspect of studying humanities entails improving communication. Different from the present state of affairs, people rarely used to express any emotion other than happiness. We experience and sympathize with all these emotions among human beings, but often in present civilization there is a lack of direct understanding. The study of humanities is beginning to increasingly replace similar sciences or behavioral research for some reason. Through knowledge of human expression in arts, perspectives, customs, etc., in humanities, we are looking to achieve an understanding of why and what causes almost the same response to a known situation in different individuals. This is, to a large extent, an understanding of oneself, and it is only natural that one will try to explain another’s actions based on their own experience. In doing so, they will establish a two-way communication between themselves and the other person, trying to guess the real motive for their actions and emotions. Following this, they will have a basis to test the accuracy of their conclusions in understanding the other person, and this will aid in improving understanding and empathy between the two.