Britannica defines Humanities as “the study of all languages and literatures, the arts, history, and philosophy.” It states that the subject studied in Humanities explores those branches of knowledge, “that concern themselves with human beings and their culture or with analytic and critical methods of inquiry derived from an appreciation of human values and of the unique ability of the human spirit to express itself.”
Studying Humanities helps derive a deep understanding of human behaviour, society and its various social institutions and activities. The study of humanities helps in better decision-making grounded in good ethics and shared mutual values of the society.
Humanities subjects delve into areas that enable us to better understand human society. Learning these subjects can help in understanding decision-making processes, human behaviour that drives choices and their limitations, and allocation of resources among others. Let us understand what we learn under some widely studied humanities subjects.
In History, one learns about the past, starting from the origin of mankind, Earth’s history, notable eras, historical events and personalities. Once glimpses the evolution of society through wars, migration, colonialism, and movements. It discusses motivations that led to the creation of modern society. This helps in developing a better understanding of the society we live in today and appreciating diversity.
Sociology is the study of social life, social structures, social behaviour and society. It explains the motivations behind interactions and the process that preserves and changes them. Sociology introduces us to concepts of social status, social movements, social change and deviant social behaviour. This subject is relevant in all industries and fields as goods and services, research and development, and most professional career roles are created with society at its centre.
Psychology is a more scientific branch within humanities in its approach to the study of human behaviour and mind. It explores concepts of mental processes and behaviours in socio-cultural and historical contexts. This is a vast subject that delves into areas such as child psychology, sports psychology, clinical psychology, hypnotherapy, criminal psychology and more. The in-depth understanding that one develops of human reactions and behaviour helps understand cognitive processes and treat behavioural problems.
Political Science is the study of political systems, processes, different types of government, and public sector organisations. It covers administrative theories, different types of governing structures and ethics in politics. It helps us understand concepts such as diplomacy, international relations, foreign policies and public administration.
Econlib quotes Lionel Robbins' biography, “Concise Encyclopaedia of Economics” to define Economics as a “science which studies human behaviour as a relationship between given ends and scarce means which have alternative uses.” The subject expounds on concepts such as resource allocation, demand and supply, trade, national economy and more. Economics is a useful subject in understanding the best way to utilise resources for maximum benefit.
Philosophy means “love of wisdom”. It helps us understand the different truths, and relationships in the world and find answers to the most fundamental questions of life. It explores metaphysical concepts, epistemological, ethical and logical ideas. Knowledge of different philosophical ideas can help shape one’s ideologies and guide them in making ethical decisions and accepting challenges with equanimity.
Literature is the study of literary works such as prose and poetry in a language. It is a deep study of the era the book is from, the society it explores, and the emotions and ideas that it conveys. One learns to critically analyse text and read the deeper meaning and subtext being conveyed by the author through their characters and the events.
Humanities help build soft skills and technical skills as one learns to navigate through the more complex aspects of living in a society. One learns essential skills that are relevant and transferable through the personal and professional spectrum. Some key skills that one builds are:
One learns to ask the right questions and analyse, interpret, evaluate and make a judgement about what they read, hear, say, or write. Humanities students make judgements based on reliable information.
Through constantly debating concepts and viewing every issue from different perspectives humanities students become articulate and learn to communicate their thoughts and ideas concisely. They are better able to understand viewpoints and assess situations in the right context.
Humanities requires the creative engagement of the individual as they frame responses in different scenarios. To convey their meaning and argument, they will use creativity to fortify their arguments and make presentations.
Humanities students are constantly posed with queries that compel them to view the situation from an ethical lens. It teaches us to understand the consequences of our actions and their larger impact on society. One learns to question, accept the grey areas and work towards finding the best course.
Humanities students develop a strong sense of empathy through relating to events happening in society. They learn the motivations, understand behaviours and consequences and how to respond to them.
Humanities is for students who want to understand the society they live in and contribute towards its positive development. For students who want to pursue a career in public administration, business management, media studies and journalism, counselling, or teaching, humanities is vital. Individuals who are inclined to humanities subjects through interest and/or aptitude must choose to study them. Even those who are in the hard sciences must study humanities subjects to have better focus and ethical understanding of the impact of their work.
Arts has different branches such as fine arts and humanities. In humanities, one studies subjects pertaining to human society.
All the course combinations are designed to meet the different interests and career pathways that students are working towards. Hence, one must examine their choices and opt for the best course combination for PUC.
All the humanities subjects have relevance and importance in their sphere. Some of the subjects have more common themes that help build a better understanding of larger concepts.
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