ARTS APPRECIATION

• Etymology of Humanities:

  • "Humanities" comes from the Latin word "humanus" meaning refined, cultured, and human
  • Refined: Proper etiquette, decorum, being civilized, and socializing properly
  • Cultured: Adaptation to the environment, including social interaction and norms
  • Human: Having the nature of being a human
• Human Nature:

  • Rational Being (with Intellect): Acting on logic rather than impulse or whimsy
  • Emotional Being (with Emotion - Capacity to Love): Being in control of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
  • Spiritual Being (with Body and Soul): Awareness of existence beyond the temporal world
  • Social/Relational Being: Deep need for real social connections
  • Freewill: Power of the human mind to choose a course of action
  • Freedom: Doing only what is good and right, responsible actions perpetuate freedom
• Definition of Humanities:

  • Expression without words, such as painting, sculptures, dancing, etc.
  • Study of man's expression of feelings, thought, intuition, values, and ideas
  • Study of man's experience, goals, and aspirations, used to dramatize individual expressions
• Importance of Studying Humanities:

  • Humanities are one of the oldest means of expression developed by man
  • Witness to human evolution physically and culturally
  • Humanities have existed before the term was coined, showcasing human expression and civilization
• Aim of Humanities:

  • Medieval Age: Dealt with the metaphysics of the religious philosopher, investigating ultimate reality
  • Renaissance Period: To enrich man, as art was previously limited to the rich
  • 19th and 20th Century: To appreciate and understand the importance of human beings, ideas, and aspirations
• Related Fields in Humanities:

  • Anthropology: Study of human societies, cultures, biological and physiological characteristics
  • Sociology: Study of human society's development, structure, and function
  • Philosophy: Study of fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and beauty
  • Religion: Belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power
  • History: Study of past events in human affairs
  • Literature: Body of written works, writing considered an art form or having intellectual value