Introduction to Introduction to HumanitiesHumanities

Just What Are Humans?Just What Are Humans?

HumanitiesHumanities

The Study of the Human ConditionThe Study of the Human Condition What is the human condition?What is the human condition? We remember the pastWe remember the past We imagine the futureWe imagine the future We have emotionsWe have emotions We can reasonWe can reason We know we will dieWe know we will die

Taxonomy: We are Taxonomy: We are Homo sapiensHomo sapiens

We are the only human We are the only human species worldwidespecies worldwide

We can thinkWe can think We can communicate We can communicate

using languageusing language We can make and We can make and

manipulate objectmanipulate object So we can paint, write, So we can paint, write,

performperform We are bipedalWe are bipedal

What Goes into Humanities? What Goes into Humanities? LanguageLanguage

Language is the backbone of Language is the backbone of the humanitiesthe humanities

Cuneiform (left) was Cuneiform (left) was invented in the Near East. invented in the Near East.

Classical Languages are key Classical Languages are key to understanding the Greeks to understanding the Greeks and the Romansand the Romans

Latin was used by medieval Latin was used by medieval churchmenchurchmen

Written language (poetry, Written language (poetry, novels, drama)novels, drama)

No language, no humanitiesNo language, no humanities

What Goes Into Humanities: What Goes Into Humanities: HistoryHistory

Humanities appeals to the pastHumanities appeals to the past Traditionally, scholars have to know their Traditionally, scholars have to know their

classical historyclassical history Systematic study of the families, societies Systematic study of the families, societies

and the great men (sometimes women)and the great men (sometimes women) Today, history is more of a social science Today, history is more of a social science

with a dimension of timewith a dimension of time Santayana: “Who ignores the past is Santayana: “Who ignores the past is

doomed to repeat it.”doomed to repeat it.” Faulkner: “The past is never dead: it isn’t Faulkner: “The past is never dead: it isn’t

even past.”even past.”

What Goes Into Humanities: What Goes Into Humanities: ClassicsClassics

Western Societies: The Greeks and the Western Societies: The Greeks and the RomansRomans

The philosophers: Plato (the ideal form) and The philosophers: Plato (the ideal form) and Aristotle (empirical observation)Aristotle (empirical observation)

The Playwrights: Sophocles, Virgil, Horace The Playwrights: Sophocles, Virgil, Horace the satirist.the satirist.

Homer, the epic poetHomer, the epic poet Mesopotamia: the epic of Gilgamesh, Mesopotamia: the epic of Gilgamesh,

Hammurabi the lawgiverHammurabi the lawgiver Egypt: Egypt: The Book of the Dead The Book of the Dead (Last (Last

Judgment)Judgment) China: Confucius; Lao Tzu on the TaoChina: Confucius; Lao Tzu on the Tao Tibet: Its ownTibet: Its own Book of the Dead Book of the Dead (karma)(karma)

What Goes Into Humanities: LawWhat Goes Into Humanities: Law

Law comprise rules the Law comprise rules the govern human behaviorgovern human behavior

Found where there are Found where there are states:states:

The power holders make The power holders make them; them;

The police and army The police and army enforce themenforce them

Law is also based on Law is also based on philosophy;philosophy;

Values generate law.Values generate law.

What Goes into Humanities: What Goes into Humanities: Religion IReligion I Concerns the supernatural: Concerns the supernatural: Things and events beyond Things and events beyond

the five senses the five senses Goes back to the Neolithic Goes back to the Neolithic

and beyond to animismand beyond to animism Half the world’s religions Half the world’s religions

began with the patriarch began with the patriarch AbrahamAbraham

Who formed the root of Who formed the root of Judaism, Christianity, and Judaism, Christianity, and IslamIslam

What Goes into Humanities: What Goes into Humanities: Religion IIReligion II

Many are derived from the East with Many are derived from the East with the doctrine of samsara (illusion), the doctrine of samsara (illusion), karma (consequences of past acts), karma (consequences of past acts), and nirvana (liberation from and nirvana (liberation from samsara): Hinduism and Buddhismsamsara): Hinduism and Buddhism

Includes the question: where do we Includes the question: where do we go after we die—the fundamental go after we die—the fundamental question of mortalityquestion of mortality

What Goes into Humanities: What Goes into Humanities: PhilosophyPhilosophy

Philosophy means “Love of Knowledge.”Philosophy means “Love of Knowledge.” It asks who we are, what and how we knowIt asks who we are, what and how we know The Greeks, especially Plato and Aristotle, founded and The Greeks, especially Plato and Aristotle, founded and

developed philosophydeveloped philosophy Above: Scene at the Lyceum, school begun by AristotleAbove: Scene at the Lyceum, school begun by Aristotle

What goes into Humanities: The What goes into Humanities: The Visual ArtsVisual Arts

SculptureSculpture Greek and Roman sculpture of the Greek and Roman sculpture of the

human formhuman form Drawings, from sketches to Drawings, from sketches to

hatching to use of pastels (upper hatching to use of pastels (upper left, Escher’s left, Escher’s Drawing HandsDrawing Hands))

Paintings, involving the Paintings, involving the application of application of

a pigment within a medium and a pigment within a medium and binder (glue) binder (glue)

on a surface:on a surface: (lower left Mona Lisa by Da Vinci)(lower left Mona Lisa by Da Vinci)

Music is the interpretation of Music is the interpretation of sound combined into melody and sound combined into melody and harmony harmony

(Such as the nine symphonies of (Such as the nine symphonies of Beethoven, above)Beethoven, above)

Drama: the imitation of life on Drama: the imitation of life on stagestage

(Below: Shakespeare included (Below: Shakespeare included many historical re-enactments on many historical re-enactments on stage—stage—

Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello)Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello)

What Goes into Humanities: What Goes into Humanities: Performing Arts IPerforming Arts I

What Goes into HumanitiesWhat Goes into Humanities

Dance: An expression of Dance: An expression of human movement on stage human movement on stage performanceperformance

Such as this ballet scene from Such as this ballet scene from Swan LakeSwan Lake

Or sometimes in a spiritual Or sometimes in a spiritual setting setting

Such as the Whirling Dervishes Such as the Whirling Dervishes of the Sufis founded by Rumi of the Sufis founded by Rumi

In a reaction against Muslim In a reaction against Muslim worldlinessworldliness

The Territory Ahead: Historical The Territory Ahead: Historical Context IContext I

First we look at the biology of First we look at the biology of humankind (upper): humankind (upper):

Our anatomical foundations.Our anatomical foundations. Then we look at the prehistoric Then we look at the prehistoric

phases of humankind: phases of humankind: The Upper Paleolithic and the The Upper Paleolithic and the

Neolithic (lower)Neolithic (lower) Finally we look at the formative Finally we look at the formative

civilizations prior to the Greeks:civilizations prior to the Greeks: The Egyptians of the NileThe Egyptians of the Nile The Mesopotamians of the The Mesopotamians of the

Tigris and Euphrates RiversTigris and Euphrates Rivers

The Territory Ahead: Historical The Territory Ahead: Historical Context IIContext II

This leads us to the Greeks This leads us to the Greeks Then we look at the RomansThen we look at the Romans Then we look at the Then we look at the

transitions from the Classic to transitions from the Classic to the Medieval Periods the Medieval Periods

We look at Islam and How We look at Islam and How they preserved Western they preserved Western CultureCulture

Then we conclude with the Then we conclude with the Medieval Period and the Medieval Period and the precursors of the Renaissance precursors of the Renaissance (lit. Rebirth)(lit. Rebirth)

The Territory Ahead: Topical The Territory Ahead: Topical Areas IAreas I

We will examine the philosophies of We will examine the philosophies of each era: they are the motor force of each era: they are the motor force of all humanitiesall humanities

We look at the societies that spawned We look at the societies that spawned the philosophies:the philosophies:

All were state level societies; All were state level societies; That includes codified law.That includes codified law. We then look at the religions and the We then look at the religions and the

supernatural beliefssupernatural beliefs

The Territory Ahead: Topical The Territory Ahead: Topical Areas IIAreas II

We will then look at literature, the We will then look at literature, the visual arts, and the performing arts. visual arts, and the performing arts.

We’ll see if they express the way We’ll see if they express the way society was in their timesociety was in their time

Or whether they were the inspiration Or whether they were the inspiration of individualsof individuals

Or perhaps some combination of both. Or perhaps some combination of both.

Coda: What Are the Coda: What Are the Humanities?Humanities?

We may define We may define humanities humanities asas The integrated study of the visual The integrated study of the visual

and performing artsand performing arts Architecture and public spacesArchitecture and public spaces Literature from narrative to poetryLiterature from narrative to poetry Within the historical contextWithin the historical context Of the societies and philosophiesOf the societies and philosophies With which they are associatedWith which they are associated