We do not study the humanities because it's cute, but because we are members of the human race.
By Stephen Wu
for the Columbia (University) Spectator
March 22, 2011
Having recently gone through, with so many of my classmates, the unpleasantness of formally extracting a course of study from the dizzying myriad offered in the academy, the inevitable question arises of what, precisely, one does with a degree in Classics or English literature or, the granddaddy of all useless disciplines, Philosophy. Historically, the humanities have collectively occupied the pinnacle of Western education. Today, they are under siege from the forces of pre-professionalism and the sciences, though the latter does so surreptitiously, and, I think, potentially even unwittingly.
Most, I imagine, have no quibble with the assertion that modern pre-professional schools and degrees at the college level are antagonistic to the humanities. Barring the once-in-a-generation David McCullough, the humanities are not perceived as the surest road to riches or a secure vocation. To that end, one can decamp to Stern or Wharton and graduate after four years, diploma in hand and under the impression that Virginia Woolf is an indigenous canine of the Tidewater.
The more interesting tension is between humanities and the sciences, both social and physical. Science is probably not the ultimate destroyer of souls that those who champion arts and letters would claim, but it surely does not generate progress unyielding—as it trumpets—without some corresponding loss. The sciences seek definitive answers and excel in reducing things to naked, constituent pieces: Two and two are four as surely as hydrogen and oxygen combine to become water. The element of mystery that pervades the cosmos exists only out of ignorance—it is meant to be uncovered and, ultimately, conquered. After all, if mankind can totally understand the universe, then he may rule it most completely, obliterating the need for those things that transcend himself.
COMMENTS
One should be able to make a case for the humanities without turning it into an attack on the sciences.
ReplyDeleteOf course it is. But it's harder to see that as an undergraduate in Humanities, since they are constantly under attack by students in every other faculty, and feel defensive.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to see that as faculty in the Humanities, when the scientists are constantly saying we do nothing and contribute nothing.
ReplyDeleteThe cognitive dissonance for social scientists is boggling!
ReplyDeleteWhen my social science department found out I was collaborating with the engineering department, they got all sanctimonious about how "those people" in engineering were "just...mechanics." Um...yeah. Like people who design your hybrid cars and your reusable shopping bag materials and whatnot, you dirty hippies! (Our discipline has its share of dirty hippies, and I mean that in the nicest possible way.)
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing how quickly their tune changed when they learned how much money I could get in grants when I collaborated with those "across the aisle." We have misunderstandings, my science colleagues and I, but they are usually not insurmountable.
I think this may be a Pollyanna "Why can't we all just play NICE?!?!" moment. Sorry about that...
It's been my experience here and at RYS of a tremendous amount of animus between "science" and the "arts." It's surely surprising to more people than just me how mean-spirited some exchanges can get in the anonymous lands of an academic blog.
ReplyDeleteThere is really a distrust and dislike - I think - among these groups and it's a shame.
That having been said, I don't have a single pal in my life from the sciences or engineering or business. Humanities folks surround me. I see the "others" at faculty meetings and occasionally on the golf course, but we don't mix.
That's weird, and I'd bet we're all missing something.
What doesn't help though is that the conversations I do have with "others" always end up with someone saying, "What the hell do students need with French and English and Philosophy anyway?" And it's usually a serious question.
It isn't like that everywhere. We currently have a math faculty co-teaching a philosophy course.
ReplyDelete@sultans
ReplyDeleteit's not like THAT everywhere.
@Reg: don't you have any humanities/sciences marriages at your university? Those were very common among my grad school classmates. Of course, most of the male Ph.D.s I knew (who were almost invariably the scientists) went into industry rather than academia, so maybe that doesn't carry over to the professor level. I can't think of any members of my own humanities department who are married to scientists (though several are married to each other).
ReplyDeleteAnd I suppose a humanities/science marriage doesn't guarantee mutual respect for each others' disciplines, but it seems like a potential step toward understanding.
I love Cassandra's question. I ran through all the colleagues I know, from my current and past jobs, and I can't think of a single mixed academic couple. I have academic pals who married outside of academe into a wild combination of other careers. But I have no humanities/sciences couples I can put forward into the discussion.
ReplyDeleteMy main pals are:
Philosopy / Tax Guy (real world)
English / Lawyer (real world)
Religion / Philosophy
English / English
English / English
English / Advertising (real world)
English / Musician (real world)
English / Artist (real world)
Fab
I’m not in a science/humanities mixed marriage, but I am that mix (I have a humanities degree and a social science degree), and the lack of mutual respect between the two areas drives me nutty. Maybe it’s because I've got my feet in both camps that I can appreciate the merits of each area and how beneficial experience in each area can be to the other. I sympathize with those in the humanities who don’t receive much respect from the sciences. I see this all of the time in my particular area of social science basket weaving. I see the humanities dismissed by many science people because they’re not scientific (i.e., they just ‘make stuff up’), yet these same people who dismiss the humanities complain about students having a lack of critical thinking skills (which are, in my experience, taught and developed much more thoroughly in humanities courses than in social science courses). There is so much overlap in the kinds of theory, critical thinking, and creativity used, but so many folks (in each camp) simply don’t recognize that. If only people from both camps would sit down and have a conversation once in a while they might bridge that gap a little bit. Maybe I’m being hopeful and unrealistic and too sunshine-and-rainbows in that, but a girl can dream, can’t she?
ReplyDeleteWow, people need to get out more.
ReplyDeleteI do math, but I have friends in philosophy, English, linguistics, medieval studies, math, education, physics, Jewish studies, economics, and astronomy.
I'm also married to a social scientist.
I teach in an undergrad science/tech program, and I frequently lament the few opportunities for my advisees to fit in humanities courses.
ReplyDeleteHell, college ought to have a significant component of learning for the sake of learning.
Plus, a well taught humanities course helps people learn to think more critically, which is beneficial no matter what your career goals.
It seems to me that the student who wrote this article has a pretty simplistic view of what science is and what scientists do. I say this despite the fact that my (formal) education is all in the Humanities. I certainly don't think there should be a schism between the two groups or that they should think of themselves as separate groups at all. I do hang out with people in the sciences as well as the humanities. That said, I have from time to time heard the comments about English being "useless." Being able to think and communicate is useless like breathing is useless!
ReplyDeleteAs an undergraduate studying a pretty firm science and a fine art, I can report that I apply thought patterns learned in each discipline to problems in the other to great benefit.
ReplyDeleteOn a social level, I've noticed that having a fine arts major is almost always perceived by science types as positive, while the responses of artist-academics are mixed but overall mildly positive. Many artist non-academics seem to feel that university is a waste of time and I'm clearly not serious about my artistic field, despite the fact that I'm at one of the best university programs in the country for that discipline.
I'll also say this: being situated to perform interdisciplinary research without being forced to collaborate has done great things for my CV. I'd recommend a similar path to anyone with an affinity for both arts and sciences.
@Reg: At least they ask the question seriously. That's the reaction I hear from science faculty too. No, it's not an intelligent question but at least it seeks an answer.
ReplyDelete"We hold a recognition about their exceptional beauty and enduring truth."
ReplyDelete"Hold a recognition?" Does this phrasing sound stilted to anyone else?
Not quite a marriage: Social science/physics.
ReplyDeleteClose friends: archaeology/physics. Archaeology/history. Anthropology/realtor.
Close friends with failing marriages: sociologist/sociologist. Anthropologist/anthropologist (2x). Political scientist/political scientist.
I sense a trend...
People routinely ask me how I can possible have anything to talk to Atom Smasher about. The honest answer is that rugby and NPR have sustained our relationship.
I'm in the arts. My best friend has a PhD in science. My sibling has a PhD in engineering. My spouse has a lowly masters (the shame! the shame!) and is in computers. It has never occurred to me to look down on them for what they do (rather, I learn cool things!), and I know they don't look down on me. I did not know such things really happened, and thought it was one of those byproducts of the internet, where everybody is almost always a jerk.
ReplyDeleteI've been in a happy humanities/science marriage for over 20 years. It never occurred to me not to respect what my spouse does any more than it would him to disrespect my discipline. My best friends are in a variety of fields: humanities, social science, science, and allied health, both inside and outside the academy.
ReplyDeleteI did see more of this when I was younger, however, at the undergraduate level. For some reason I have always been attracted to scientists, and the two serious relationships I had prior to my marriage were both ruined in part by the "I am going to A Big Research University to learn to do important things with a real major while you are playing around with English at a lowly SLAC so you can get a job as a manager in a food court" mentality.
It's okay RegW, I'll talk to you!
ReplyDeleteEnglishDoc - this happened to me too. But as you say, people do grow up. Well, some of them. Eventually.
ReplyDeleteSometimes a degree in humanities happens to good people.
ReplyDelete