Historical Development of Humanities
What is humanities?
A group of extensive disciplines (such as arts, art criticism, literature, film studies, photography, music, history, and philosophy).
The humanities is generally considered to in
clude the study of classics, art history and literature.
OED’s definition of humanities: humanities did not appear until 1702 and it is referred to the activity of the humanist
Our definition:
An institutional tool to gain knowledge that concerns human; this “knowledge” is a rather forceful ideology that has different connotations in different historical eras shaped by various forces yet has the same attempt to humanize man, to make man more man.
Medieval
In the medieval
(12th and 13th
century), humanities
meant primarily
philosophy and
theology. Theology was the
most prestigious
area of study.
History of humanities
The late Middle Ages
• Heresies aroused
(Beginning of skepticism-
dissatisfaction with church
as an institution). • The starting point of
humanism (Protagoras:
"man is the measure of
all things).
Renaissance
Humanities in this period included disciplines that would make man’s life richer and more meaningful: the languages and literature of Greece and Rome, fine arts, music, philosophy.
Renaissance man (u
niversal man): acquir
e all knowledge and
all the skills of the v
arious arts. (These a
rts are those that are
unrecognized by the
church.)
Universal Man (polymath) : excels in multiple fields, particularly in both arts and sciences
Leonardo Da Vinci: archetype of the Renaissance man
Desiderius Erasmus
Baldassare Castiglione,
in his The Book of the
Courtier (1528), wrote a
guide to being a polymath,
describing what makes a
well rounded person.
16th century
By 1535, humanities, which is the study of literae
humaniores (greats), became the head of the arts.
19th century Humanities is the key to the history, the thoughts,
and the mind of civilized man.
Recent years There is a wave of neglect of the humanities
(after the Industrial Revolution, the competition between countries is focused on technology).
Where does New Humanities come from?
Historical trend: new academic disciplines are rising because of new social realties are in place
New Humanities
The field has become richly theoretically pluralist and increasingly interdisciplinary.
What are these larger contexts? Who produces them? Who has access to them? How are they circulated? How can they be interpreted? Where are they located? What values do they espouse?