Defining the Humanities

Defining the Humanities

Humanities are a very broad topic in arts and the literature world. Humanities cover human behavior, modern languages, arts, law, history, and many other topics. In this paper, I will discuss humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression. Next, I will define humanities. In addition, I will select and discuss a cultural event that I have experienced, such as music, dance, theater, art, literature, or other activities. Then I will explain how my selected event was an expression of what I know about humanities, art, style, genius, and culture of the period it represents. Finally, I will discuss how my selected form of cultural expression compares with other forms I know about from the same period.

Differentiate

Humanities is mainly about human conditions; the study of arts, literature, and other subjects. The studying of non-human subjects is considered all other modes of human inquiry, such as mathematics and natural sciences. Mathematics is logical and science is objective scientific study neither is truly considered a part of humanities. Many of these ideas are based upon one's own perspective.

Humanities Defined

As previously mentioned humanities are a very broad topic and many views and opinions are stated about the meaning and the proper definition. Humanities is the languages and literatures of ancient Greece and Rome; the classics (The Free Dictionary, 2011). Another definition states it is those branches of knowledge, such as philosophy, literature, and art that are concerned with human thought and culture; the liberal arts (The Free Dictionary, 2011). My own definition of humanities would be the study of classical arts, music, and history; anything that one can learn different cultures or scientific discoveries.

Cultural Event

Once when I was in elementary school our class had an opportunity to go to Baton Rouge, La (school located in Pointe Coupee Parish) to visit a museum that was filled with historical arts, history, and items from the 1800s and the early 1900s. Our teacher invited elders to attend the trip with our class so he or she gave facts about his or her experiences from the past and how times had changed.

Expression of Humanities

The experience of what I learned from elementary school about some forms of humanities was mainly because of the elders that attended the trip with our class. Many had stories and on hands experiences with some of the items we viewed such as washboards, out houses, metal irons, art pictures, slave homes, etc. The experience expressed would be in the 1800s and the early 1900s when there was slavery and times were hard, and the culture was very different in those times.

This experience helped me to earn more about humanities