What are Human Sciences?What are Human Sciences?

IntroductionIntroduction

What is a “Human Science”?What is a “Human Science”?

• Human scienceHuman science is the study and interpretation is the study and interpretation of human experiences, activities, constructs, of human experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.and artifacts.

fearfear feastfeast tradetrade warwar architecturearchitecture sciencescience

clothesclothes technologiestechnologies

The study of such human phenomena seeks The study of such human phenomena seeks to promote the human beings’ to promote the human beings’ understanding understanding of themselves,of themselves, their relationship with other their relationship with other species and systems, and the growth of their species and systems, and the growth of their cultures.cultures.

Question 1Question 1• Can a Can a human sciencehuman science study the study the

following?following?

1.1. The formation of mountains and rivers?The formation of mountains and rivers?

2.2. How machines work and how we can How machines work and how we can improve their performance.improve their performance.

3.3. How different kinds of plants grow.How different kinds of plants grow.

4.4. How the human mind works and How the human mind works and interprets the world.interprets the world.

Human science is the study and Human science is the study and interpretation of interpretation of humanhuman experiences, experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.activities, constructs, and artifacts.

Getting interested in human Getting interested in human phenomena!phenomena!

• Think of three experiences or activities that only human beings (not animals) can have.Think of three experiences or activities that only human beings (not animals) can have.

1.1. Wedding partiesWedding parties

2.2. HumorHumor

3.3. LanguageLanguage

4.4. TradingTrading

5.5. Studying human sciences!Studying human sciences!

6.6. Etc.Etc.

Getting interested in human Getting interested in human phenomena!phenomena!

• Think of three experiences or activities that only human beings (not animals) can have.Think of three experiences or activities that only human beings (not animals) can have.

1.1. Wedding partiesWedding parties

2.2. HumorHumor

3.3. LanguageLanguage

4.4. TradingTrading

5.5. Studying human sciences!Studying human sciences!

6.6. Etc.Etc.

1.1. We joke, We joke,

2.2. we laugh,we laugh,

3.3. we tease,we tease,

4.4. we make fun of we make fun of others (ridicule)others (ridicule)

5.5. we criticize we criticize sarcastically sarcastically

HumorHumor

Psychological Perspective: Psychological Perspective:

1.1. Why is laughter a pleasurable experience for individuals? Why is laughter a pleasurable experience for individuals?

2.2. Why do people like to tell joke about sex?Why do people like to tell joke about sex? Etc. Etc.

Sociological Perspective:Sociological Perspective:

1.1. Is it true that women tend to enjoy jokes more than telling Is it true that women tend to enjoy jokes more than telling them while men enjoy telling jokes in addition to listening to them while men enjoy telling jokes in addition to listening to them?them? Etc.Etc.

Linguistic Perspective:Linguistic Perspective:

1.1. How do we come to How do we come to compose jokes?compose jokes?

2.2. How do people How do people tease in different tease in different cultures and why?cultures and why?

The Human phenomenonThe Human phenomenon is complex is complex and should, consequently, be studied and should, consequently, be studied from various angles.from various angles.

Some specific Human SciencesSome specific Human Sciences

• Sociology:Sociology: deals with the structure and deals with the structure and dynamics of social groupsdynamics of social groups

• Psychology:Psychology: studies the structure and studies the structure and functions of the individual’s behavior, mind, functions of the individual’s behavior, mind, emotions and feelingsemotions and feelings

• Anthropology:Anthropology: studies human cultures studies human cultures

• Linguistics:Linguistics: studies the human language studies the human language

Human science is the study and Human science is the study and interpretation of interpretation of humanhuman experiences, experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.activities, constructs, and artifacts.

Question 2Question 2

• Which human science would study this?Which human science would study this?1.1. The nature and function of emotional The nature and function of emotional

attachmentattachment2.2. Social factors determining the choice of a Social factors determining the choice of a

spouse (i.e., marriage partner )spouse (i.e., marriage partner )3.3. How people produce meaningful soundsHow people produce meaningful sounds

1.1. How family structure differs from culture How family structure differs from culture to cultureto culture

PsychologyPsychology

SociologySociology

LinguisticsLinguistics

AnthropologyAnthropology

Human science is the study and Human science is the study and interpretation of interpretation of humanhuman experiences, experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.activities, constructs, and artifacts.

What human science wants to know

• Why people interact with the environment the way they do

• What the reality of being human is

A Problem with knowledge claims in Human Science

• The study of human science is itself a human activity and the researcher must have an awareness of human behaviour to be able to avoid biasing or slanting results.

• The researcher is an active part of the knowledge claims being made. Subsequently, it becomes hard for a researcher to escape human subjectivity in order to view human behaviour objectively. In the natural sciences, the researcher studies a subject other than him or her self.

Subjective biasing

• Can skew observations

• Can alter the way an experiment is done

• Can skew interpretation of results

• Does have an effect on knowledge claims

Free will is an illusion

• We do not decide the things we do because something predisposes us to behave in a certain way

• Our biology dictates our choices. We all have a “selfish gene”

• Societal conditioning dictates our choices

We are masters of our own destiny

• We are free to do as we wish. When we decide what we want to do, it is our conscious mind that makes the decision

• Our tastes and preferences are chosen by us. They reflect our individuality and freedom to choose

• Life is but a long line of choices

The debate is important to human science because

• Human science wants to understand the motives behind human behaviour

• If our behaviour is determined by our biology, it is crucial for the human scientist to understand how biology affects human behaviour

• If behaviour is determined by our social environment, the human scientist would look at environmental factors to explain why people behave the way they do

The debate is important to human science because (contd.)

• If behaviour is on account of free will, is the consciousness even accessible?

• Can anyone access the individual consciousness to a degree that will allow an outsider to understand the inner motivations of another human being?

Final thoughts

• To the human scientist, knowing human behaviour is, in part, being able to predict human behaviour

• If behaviour is the result of free will, then this makes predicting behaviour nearly impossible

• The human scientist wants to understand why people behave the way they do. Free will makes it hard for a human scientist to do this

Human science is the study and interpretation of humanhuman experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.

Human science is the study and interpretation of humanhuman experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.

What are human sciences?What are human sciences?

How do we do human sciences?How do we do human sciences?

Human sciences use three different types of methodologiesmethodologies?Human sciences use three different types of methodologiesmethodologies?

MethodologyMethodology

1.1. MethodologyMethodology means how we do something.2.2. MethodologyMethodology includes a collection of

theories, concepts or ideas as they relate to a particular subject of inquiry.

1- method 2- theory

Methodologies of ResearchMethodologies of Research

• Human sciences are studied, interpreted and reported using threethree types of methodologies:

1. The empiricalempirical methodology2. The phenomenologicalphenomenological methodology3. The hermeneutic hermeneutic methodology

The Empirical MethodologyThe Empirical Methodology

The empirical methodology is based on testing the hypothesestesting the hypotheses that scientists make in the light of laboratory experimentslaboratory experiments or real real life statisticslife statistics so that only those hypotheses that scientists fail to refute by these methods are considered scientific hypotheses.

Hypothesis: Hypothesis: “women prefer to listen to jokes more than telling them” Hypothesis: Hypothesis: “women prefer to listen to jokes more than telling them”

EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

True or false?True or false?

1. Rely on their own impressions2. Rely on what people think3. Rely on what they believe women can do

What human scientists should not doWhat human scientists should not do

They can design design contexts where women can freely tell jokes OR listen to them and then observeobserve which preferences they would show in these contexts.

What scientists must doWhat scientists must do

The phenomenological MethodologyThe phenomenological Methodology

The phenomenological methodology focuses on the study of experience structureexperience structure and seeks to avoid any reference to the external world.

QUESTION: QUESTION: What do I experience when I experience something as being funny? QUESTION: QUESTION: What do I experience when I experience something as being funny?

EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

Asking this question may lead him to recognize that Humor is often accompanied with a relaxed accepting attitude with a relaxed accepting attitude towards the funny person.

The hermeunetic MethodologyThe hermeunetic Methodology

This methodology is founded on the idea that reality about Man can be deciphered from the symbolic productions the symbolic productions of people.

QUESTION: QUESTION: what is Jemaa Elfnaa? QUESTION: QUESTION: what is Jemaa Elfnaa? EXAMPLEEXAMPLE

talestales mythsmyths proverbsproverbs Color meaningColor meaning dancesdances

We can study JE as a place of «wonders». «wonders». It’s a It’s a Mystery place.Mystery place.

• DovesDoves• MonkeysMonkeys• roostersroosters• SnakesSnakes• HamstersHamsters• DonkeyDonkey• TurtlesTurtles• ScorpiansScorpians• lizardslizards

Animals in JE Animals in JE halqashalqas during the 70s and during the 70s and the 80sthe 80s

JE is also a place where you can expect to find JE is also a place where you can expect to find EVERYONE.EVERYONE.

«gay« dancers «gay« dancers preacherspreachers

Snake Snake charmerscharmers

Pigeon tamersPigeon tamers

Elborate Elborate international foodinternational food

Exotic herbs Exotic herbs drink: khoudenjaldrink: khoudenjal

JE is a place of JE is a place of InconsistenciesInconsistencies

Soft oriental musicSoft oriental musicEcstatic African musicEcstatic African music

Jemaa Elfna, just like the city where it exists, is an Jemaa Elfna, just like the city where it exists, is an exoticexotic mixture of mixture of follyfolly and and sirenity. sirenity. In this sense, JE is a In this sense, JE is a Mystery SpaceMystery Space that lends itself only to that lends itself only to those who are willing to coexist with an extremely those who are willing to coexist with an extremely different other.different other.

JE is, therefore, a place where you should expect to find EVERYTHING.JE is, therefore, a place where you should expect to find EVERYTHING.

• «During my quest for knowledge, I arrived in 1060 Hegira «During my quest for knowledge, I arrived in 1060 Hegira to Marrakech. Here I went one day to the great esplanade to Marrakech. Here I went one day to the great esplanade (JE) to listen to the praises of the Prophet. So I had my (JE) to listen to the praises of the Prophet. So I had my place in a circle (Halqa) where curious people listen to an place in a circle (Halqa) where curious people listen to an old man who was telling them funny stories.»old man who was telling them funny stories.»

• Et-Tayeb Houdaïfa pour la Vie économiqueEt-Tayeb Houdaïfa pour la Vie économique

The first mention of JE Hassan El Youssi, 17cThe first mention of JE Hassan El Youssi, 17c

Jemaa Elfna, just like the city where it exists, is an Jemaa Elfna, just like the city where it exists, is an exoticexotic mixture mixture of of follyfolly and and sirenity. sirenity. In this sense, JE is a In this sense, JE is a Mystery SpaceMystery Space that that lends itself only to those who are willing to coexist with an lends itself only to those who are willing to coexist with an extremely extremely different other.different other.

Question 3Question 3

• Which methodology is a scientist using when Which methodology is a scientist using when she:she:

1.1. tries to understand what tries to understand what fearfear is by observing is by observing her own fears?her own fears?

2.2. tries to study how individuals react when tries to study how individuals react when they encounter a they encounter a fearsome object?fearsome object?

3.3. Tries to understand how Tries to understand how fearfear was was understood in ancient Asian tales?understood in ancient Asian tales?

All of these methodologies are Man-All of these methodologies are Man-related: Human science is the study and related: Human science is the study and interpretation of interpretation of humanhuman experiences, experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.activities, constructs, and artifacts.

The characteristics of the human The characteristics of the human phenomenonphenomenon

1.1. Systematic character Systematic character (Henna and Blood)(Henna and Blood)2.2. Unclear boundaries Unclear boundaries (Language and Tone)(Language and Tone)3.3. Unfinished quality Unfinished quality (Sense of humor change)(Sense of humor change)4.4. CompositionComposition (Observing one’s laughter)(Observing one’s laughter)

Human science is the study and Human science is the study and interpretation of interpretation of humanhuman experiences, experiences, activities, constructs, and artifacts.activities, constructs, and artifacts.

ConclusionConclusion