Introduction to Humanities Just What Are Humans?

Humanities The Study of the Human Condition What is the human condition? We remember the past We imagine the future We have emotions We can reason We know we will die

The Study of the Human Condition

What is the human condition?

We remember the past

We imagine the future

We have emotions

We can reason

We know we will die

Taxonomy: We are Homo sapiens We are the only human species worldwide We can think We can communicate using language We can make and manipulate object So we can paint, write, perform We are bipedal

We are the only human species worldwide

We can think

We can communicate using language

We can make and manipulate object

So we can paint, write, perform

We are bipedal

What Goes into Humanities? Language Language is the backbone of the humanities Cuneiform (left) was invented in the Near East. Classical Languages are key to understanding the Greeks and the Romans Latin was used by medieval churchmen Written language (poetry, novels, drama) No language, no humanities

Language is the backbone of the humanities

Cuneiform (left) was invented in the Near East.

Classical Languages are key to understanding the Greeks and the Romans

Latin was used by medieval churchmen

Written language (poetry, novels, drama)

No language, no humanities

What Goes Into Humanities: History Humanities appeals to the past Traditionally, scholars have to know their classical history Systematic study of the families, societies and the great men (sometimes women) Today, history is more of a social science with a dimension of time Santayana: “Who ignores the past is doomed to repeat it.” Faulkner: “The past is never dead: it isn’t even past.”

Humanities appeals to the past

Traditionally, scholars have to know their classical history

Systematic study of the families, societies and the great men (sometimes women)

Today, history is more of a social science with a dimension of time

Santayana: “Who ignores the past is doomed to repeat it.”

Faulkner: “The past is never dead: it isn’t even past.”

What Goes Into Humanities: Classics Western Societies: The Greeks and the Romans The philosophers: Plato (the ideal form) and Aristotle (empirical observation) The Playwrights: Sophocles, Virgil, Horace the satirist. Homer, the epic poet Mesopotamia: the epic of Gilgamesh, Hammurabi the lawgiver Egypt: The Book of the Dead (Last Judgment) China: Confucius; Lao Tzu on the Tao Tibet: Its own Book of the Dead (karma)

Western Societies: The Greeks and the Romans

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

The Playwrights: Sophocles, Virgil, Horace the satirist.

Homer, the epic poet

Mesopotamia: the epic of Gilgamesh, Hammurabi the lawgiver

Egypt: The Book of the Dead (Last Judgment)

China: Confucius; Lao Tzu on the Tao

Tibet: Its own Book of the Dead (karma)

What Goes Into Humanities: Law Law comprise rules the govern human behavior Found where there are states: The power holders make them; The police and army enforce them Law is also based on philosophy; Values generate law.

Law comprise rules the govern human behavior

Found where there are states:

The power holders make them;

The police and army enforce them

Law is also based on philosophy;

Values generate law.

What Goes into Humanities: Religion I Concerns the supernatural: Things and events beyond the five senses Goes back to the Neolithic and beyond to animism Half the world’s religions began with the patriarch Abraham Who formed the root of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

Concerns the supernatural:

Things and events beyond the five senses

Goes back to the Neolithic and beyond to animism

Half the world’s religions began with the patriarch Abraham

Who formed the root of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam

What Goes into Humanities: Religion II Many are derived from the East with the doctrine of samsara (illusion), karma (consequences of past acts), and nirvana (liberation from samsara): Hinduism and Buddhism Includes the question: where do we go after we die—the fundamental question of mortality

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

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

What Goes into Humanities: Philosophy Philosophy means “Love of Knowledge.” It asks who we are, what and how we know The Greeks, especially Plato and Aristotle, founded and developed philosophy Above: Scene at the Lyceum, school begun by Aristotle

Philosophy means “Love of Knowledge.”

It asks who we are, what and how we know

The Greeks, especially Plato and Aristotle, founded and developed philosophy

Above: Scene at the Lyceum, school begun by Aristotle

What goes into Humanities: The Visual Arts Sculpture Greek and Roman sculpture of the human form Drawings, from sketches to hatching to use of pastels (upper left, Escher’s Drawing Hands ) Paintings, involving the application of a pigment within a medium and binder (glue) on a surface: (lower left Mona Lisa by Da Vinci)

Sculpture

Greek and Roman sculpture of the human form

Drawings, from sketches to hatching to use of pastels (upper left, Escher’s Drawing Hands )

Paintings, involving the application of

a pigment within a medium and binder (glue)

on a surface:

(lower left Mona Lisa by Da Vinci)

Music is the interpretation of sound combined into melody and harmony (Such as the nine symphonies of Beethoven, above) Drama: the imitation of life on stage (Below: Shakespeare included many historical re-enactments on stage— Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello) What Goes into Humanities: Performing Arts I

Music is the interpretation of sound combined into melody and harmony

(Such as the nine symphonies of Beethoven, above)

Drama: the imitation of life on stage

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

Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Othello)

What Goes into Humanities Dance: An expression of human movement on stage performance Such as this ballet scene from Swan Lake Or sometimes in a spiritual setting Such as the Whirling Dervishes of the Sufis founded by Rumi In a reaction against Muslim worldliness

Dance: An expression of human movement on stage performance

Such as this ballet scene from Swan Lake

Or sometimes in a spiritual setting

Such as the Whirling Dervishes of the Sufis founded by Rumi

In a reaction against Muslim worldliness

The Territory Ahead: Historical Context I First we look at the biology of humankind (upper): Our anatomical foundations. Then we look at the prehistoric phases of humankind: The Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic (lower) Finally we look at the formative civilizations prior to the Greeks: The Egyptians of the Nile The Mesopotamians of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

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

Our anatomical foundations.

Then we look at the prehistoric phases of humankind:

The Upper Paleolithic and the Neolithic (lower)

Finally we look at the formative civilizations prior to the Greeks:

The Egyptians of the Nile

The Mesopotamians of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

The Territory Ahead: Historical Context II This leads us to the Greeks Then we look at the Romans Then we look at the transitions from the Classic to the Medieval Periods We look at Islam and How they preserved Western Culture Then we conclude with the Medieval Period and the precursors of the Renaissance (lit. Rebirth)

This leads us to the Greeks

Then we look at the Romans

Then we look at the transitions from the Classic to the Medieval Periods

We look at Islam and How they preserved Western Culture

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

The Territory Ahead: Topical Areas I We will examine the philosophies of each era: they are the motor force of all humanities We look at the societies that spawned the philosophies: All were state level societies; That includes codified law. We then look at the religions and the supernatural beliefs

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

We look at the societies that spawned the philosophies:

All were state level societies;

That includes codified law.

We then look at the religions and the supernatural beliefs

The Territory Ahead: Topical Areas II We will then look at literature, the visual arts, and the performing arts. We’ll see if they express the way society was in their time Or whether they were the inspiration of individuals Or perhaps some combination of both.

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

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

Or whether they were the inspiration of individuals

Or perhaps some combination of both.

Coda: What Are the Humanities? We may define humanities as The integrated study of the visual and performing arts Architecture and public spaces Literature from narrative to poetry Within the historical context Of the societies and philosophies With which they are associated

We may define humanities as

The integrated study of the visual and performing arts

Architecture and public spaces

Literature from narrative to poetry

Within the historical context

Of the societies and philosophies

With which they are associated