what is humanities essay

Humanities: Definition and Types Essay

Introduction, types of humanities, reference list.

There are various academic disciplines that study the human condition such as human genetics and physical anthropology. These disciplines usually use empirical methods of the natural and social sciences to study the human condition. Humanities are also a discipline that helps to study the human condition (Commission on the humanities, 1978, p.215). This essay gives a definition of humanities and the difference between humanities and other modes of human inquiry and expression. In addition, current examples of various types of humanities such as art, music, architecture, philosophy and literature and how these examples reflect on current developments on politics, social economics, and technology is also given.

Humanities are academic disciplines that analyse human beings behavior and their way of living critically and analytically. There are various examples of humanities which include; language, history, philosophy, religion, performing arts and music. Other subjects such as technology, communication studies, cultural studies and linguistics are sometimes considered as humanities.

What distinguishes humanities from other modes of human inquiry and expression such as human genetics is that humanities studies how human beings, understands their own entities as human beings. Humanities study human beings critically and analytically (Commission on the humanities, 1978, p.215). However, other modes of human inquiry and expression such as human genetics and physical anthropology look at human beings as entities which are chemical, physical and also biological in nature.

• Art: This is a type of humanities that involves drawing and painting. Drawing is a means of making an image on a surface using various tools while painting involves applying of ink on a surface.Examples of current art are carvings. Carvings are done on stone or plastics because of the unavailability of hardwood. Current technology provides tools which are used in carvings. Carvings are used for decoration and therefore they are on demand. Therefore people make money buy selling them to the public (Commission on the humanities, 1978, p.215).
• Music: Music as an example of humanities involves the act of sound production and it is a form of performing arts. Currently music production and recording is mostly used. The recorded music is sold by producers to the public and hence they earn and develop economically. Some songs are educative while others are for entertainment. According to the current technology songs are easily recorded and can be listened to or watched in future. Therefore the current technology has contributed to the current form of music. In addition, politics supports song writing and production because the government enacts laws to protect producers such as copyright and also inviting them to present their songs during public occasions.
• Literature: It could imply any symbolic record which may involve letters, or images. Book writing is supported by the government. This is because writers are protected by some rights enacted by the government. Book writing is a form of business and it is also a form of enriching the society with knowledge. Current technology of computers has helped in printing of materials.
• Philosophy : This is the study of problems that affect human beings on matters such as knowledge, truth, justice, rights, and justification, beauty, wrong and validity (Thomas, 1987, p.4). Constitutions are the current examples of philosophy.They are written to guide people on what is right or wrong and also on their rights. Politics have encouraged people to write constitutions before they can be registered either as an organization or a society.
• Architecture: this is a type of humanity that involves both art and engineering. Modern architecture use steel and metal to ensure buildings have a solid structure. The roofs are made of high quality ceramic tiles and windows are made of glass. Sometimes the walls and doors are made of glass. Many People live in aesthetic buildings and also where they fell secured and this has influenced the current architecture. The technology has improved and there are heavy machines for constructing. Government has also influenced modern architecture in that it ensures that buildings constructed mostly in towns are aesthetic.

Humanities is different from human genetics and physical anthropology because it analyses human condition critically while the other disciplines consider man as biological and chemical in nature. The subject has developed and hence has included more subjects such as communication studies, cultural studies and technology. Humanities have been influenced by development in areas such as politics, socioeconomics and technology.

• Commission on the humanities. (1978).T he humanities in American life : report of the commission on the humanities. California: University of California Press.
• Thomas. N. (1987).What does it mean? A very short introduction to philosophy. Oxford: Oxford University.
• Studying Theory of Knowledge in Epistemology
• Realism Fundamental Postulates and Their Relation to the Educational Discipline
• The Efficacy, Nature and Debates of the Modern International Law
• Halloween Celebration in the United States
• Exploring Cultures Through Relics
• The Science and the Scientific Work
• Cognitive Science: Psychology and Philosophy
• Science, Non-Science and Pseudo-Science
• The Topic of Gender, Sex and Communication
• Discovery and Justification by Kantorovich
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2021, December 25). Humanities: Definition and Types. https://ivypanda.com/essays/humanities-definition-and-types/

"Humanities: Definition and Types." IvyPanda , 25 Dec. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/humanities-definition-and-types/.

IvyPanda . (2021) 'Humanities: Definition and Types'. 25 December.

IvyPanda . 2021. "Humanities: Definition and Types." December 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/humanities-definition-and-types/.

1. IvyPanda . "Humanities: Definition and Types." December 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/humanities-definition-and-types/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Humanities: Definition and Types." December 25, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/humanities-definition-and-types/.

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

• Basic site functions
• Ensuring secure, safe transactions
• Secure account login
• Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
• Remembering privacy and security settings
• Analyzing site traffic and usage
• Personalized search, content, and recommendations
• Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

• Remembering general and regional preferences
• Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

Essay on Humanity

500 words essay on humanity.

When we say humanity, we can look at it from a lot of different perspectives. One of the most common ways of understanding is that it is a value of kindness and compassion towards other beings. If you look back at history, you will find many acts of cruelty by humans but at the same time, there are also numerous acts of humanity. An essay on humanity will take us through its meaning and importance.

Importance of Humanity

As humans are progressing as a human race into the future, the true essence of humanity is being corrupted slowly. It is essential to remember that the acts of humanity must not have any kind of personal gain behind them like fame, money or power.

The world we live in today is divided by borders but the reach we can have is limitless. We are lucky enough to have the freedom to travel anywhere and experience anything we wish for. A lot of nations fight constantly to acquire land which results in the loss of many innocent lives.

Similarly, other humanitarian crisis like the ones in Yemen, Syria, Myanmar and more costs the lives of more than millions of people. The situation is not resolving anytime soon, thus we need humanity for this.

Most importantly, humanity does not just limit to humans but also caring for the environment and every living being. We must all come together to show true humanity and help out other humans, animals and our environment to heal and prosper.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

The Great Humanitarians

There are many great humanitarians who live among us and also in history. To name a few, we had Mother Teresa , Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Princess Diana and more. These are just a few of the names which almost everyone knows.

Mother Teresa was a woman who devoted her entire life to serving the poor and needy from a nation. Rabindranath Tagore was an Indian poet who truly believed in humanity and considered it his true religion.

Similarly, Nelson Mandela was a great humanitarian who worked all his life for those in needs. He never discriminated against any person on the basis of colour, sex, creed or anything.

Further, Mahatma Gandhi serves as a great example of devoting his life to free his country and serve his fellow countrymen. He died serving the country and working for the betterment of his nation. Thus, we must all take inspiration from such great people.

The acts and ways of these great humanitarians serve as a great example for us now to do better in our life. We must all indulge in acts of giving back and coming to help those in need. All in all, humanity arises from selfless acts of compassion.

Conclusion of the Essay on Humanity

As technology and capitalism are evolving at a faster rate in this era, we must all spread humanity wherever possible. When we start practising humanity, we can tackle many big problems like global warming, pollution , extinction of animals and more.

FAQ of Essay on Humanity

Question 1: What is the importance of humanity?

Answer 1: Humanity refers to caring for and helping others whenever and wherever possible. It means helping others at times when they need that help the most. It is important as it helps us forget our selfish interests at times when others need our help.

Question 2: How do we show humanity?

Answer 2: All of us are capable of showing humanity. It can be through acknowledging that human beings are equal, regardless of gender, sex, skin colour or anything. We must all model genuine empathy and show gratitude to each other and express respect and humility.

Customize your course in 30 seconds

Which class are you in.

• Travelling Essay
• Picnic Essay
• Our Country Essay
• My Parents Essay
• Essay on Favourite Personality
• Essay on Memorable Day of My Life
• Essay on Knowledge is Power
• Essay on Gurpurab
• Essay on My Favourite Season
• Essay on Types of Sports

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Download the App

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

2 What are the Humanities and why are they relevant?

The humanities are those areas of thought and creation whose subject is human experience.  Broadly speaking, the humanities are objects or experiences created by human beings.  The role of the human creator, therefore, is central to any study of the humanities since, ultimately, they are a record of human experience The humanities convey information, yet this is not their primary function. More importantly, the humanities give form to what is imagined, express human beliefs and emotions, create beauty, move, persuade, and entertain their audiences. Humanities can be seen as the history of culture and through the study of humanities, we can begin to understand the development of the human spirit. Understanding our development helps us engage in cultural awareness, critical thinking, and self-discovery. As we discover more about the world, we can discover more about ourselves.

Each chapter in this text will cover the following humanistic categories: geography and history, religion and philosophy, literature, architecture, perfomring arts, and visual arts. Please note that some chapters might not yet have content for every single genre and we encourage you to use your classroom discussion board to add any topics that you think can and should be covered in these different categories. Below, we will discuss a short overview of these humanities categories to give some context for the later content.

Geography and History 

When we talk about geography and history, we consider the geographical and history context of a region. You’ll note that each section is divided up by geographic location. By understanding both the geography and the history of a location, you can better understand the developments. We need to consider trade and trade routes, colonization, climate, terrain, and other geographic influences to have context for how the humanities developed in each region and where there is influence and overlap. Geography encompasses a region’s physical characteristics but also its climate and the human influence and impact on the region.

You’ll also note that we use slightly different terms than you might be used to. Western Asia refers to the Middle East/Eastern Mediterranean, through the Persian empire. Central Asia refers to India and its surrounding regions. Eastern Asia covers China, Japan, Korea and most of South East Asia. Similarly, we divide North, Middle, and South American into district regions, replacing the term Central with Middle for the countries between Mexico and Colombia.

For a deeper and more comprehensive overview of each geographic location covered in this textbook, please use this textbook: https://oercommons.org/courses/world-regional-geography-3/view

Religion and Philosophy

When we talk about religion and philosophy, we consider the concepts and qualities that help us under the basic questions of human nature: Who are we? Where did we come from? Where are we going? What do we know? How do we know what we know?

Religion typically refers to beliefs and practices concerning divine and supernatural entities and philosophy typically doesn’t have any form of deity but is concerned with the study of knowledge, existence, and ethics.

Within this text, religion and philosophy will cover any belief or system that help people understand more about themselves and question what came before and after. Religious belief will also be covered in both visual art, architecture, and literature, as often religious belief influences where and how people worship a divine being.

Literature 

When we talk about literature, we refer to the stories that are told in society, both oral and written. According to Ian Tattersall, in “How We Came to Be Human”, humans have had the capacity to produce sounds of articulate speech over half a million years before any evidence of used language. The Smithsonian website speculates that human language may date back to about 350,000 years ago. the cuneiform script, create in Mesopotamia around 3200 BCE, was the first discovered writing system that can be traced back to prehistoric origin.

This text will cover the highlights of literature around the world, specifically selected both as an example of developing thought, as well as the importance of story-telling in society. It includes both written material as well as written versions of oral storytelling. Literature will be in the form of poetry, prose, novels, short stories, and, at time, plays. Plays may also feature in the Performing Arts section.

Stories can also be told in visual images, such as in cave art, but these will typically be found in the Visual Art section.

Architecture 

When we talk about architecture, we refer to the form and structure of buildings, public works, and infrastructure. We include information on building material, layout, purpose, form, and function. Often the architecture of a building highlights what is important and valuable in a culture and has close ties to visual art and to religion and philosophy. The buildings includes in this text serve private and public functions, and range from royal to communal. Architecture also ties into geography and climate as the structure and form of the building as well as the materials used often hinge upon regional materials and access.

Performing Art 

When we talk about the performing arts, we refer to anything that is being performing. This includes music, theater, dance, and film. The performing arts have always been used as a moving way to present cultural practices, beliefs, and ideas. In some case, the performing arts can be ceremonial or religious, but it can also be social and cultural as it shines a light on the important elements of a time. The performing arts is typically collaborative and required a shared experience or belief, highlighting the importance of certain practices to a society.

When possible, videos or sound clips go alongside the text describing the performing arts. You are encouraged to listen to these while reading and to watch the included plays, following along with the text. The performing arts are meant to be watched and enjoyed!

Visual Art 

When we talk about the visual arts, we refer to visual interpretations of other cultural and humanistic categories. The art forms included in the visual arts categories are, but not limited to, painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, photography, and textiles. Geographic understanding of a region is also important to visual arts, as it allows for context in understanding access to certain materials, colors, supplies, and tools.

Visual arts is also an important way to trace trade routes and to understand cultural crossover. Visual arts can be both public and personal and can represent social and historical contexts. By understanding the visual elements of a piece of art or sculpture in its historical and cultural context, there can be a better understanding of its importance within the time period and provide deeper insight to cross-cultural practices.

Why Study the Humanities? 

What can you do with a humanities degree, especially in an era of quickly developing technology, artificial intelligence, and a focus on STEM careers? When we study the humanities, we develop the following skills that are vital not only to being human, but engaging in any field, career, pathway, or experience.

• Learn New Forms of Human Creation : Through exploration of the humanities, we learn how to think creatively and critically, to reason, and to ask questions. Because these skills allow us to gain new insights into everything from poetry and paintings to business models and politics, humanistic subjects have been at the heart of a liberal arts education since the ancient Greeks first used them to educate their citizens.
• See History Through a Different Lens : Research into the human experience adds to our knowledge about our world. Through the work of humanities scholars, we learn about the values of different cultures, about what goes into making a work of art, about how history is made. Their efforts preserve the great accomplishments of the past, help us understand the world we live in, and give us tools to imagine the future.
• Broaden Our Horizons : Today, humanistic knowledge continues to provide the ideal foundation for exploring and understanding the human experience. Investigating a branch of philosophy might get you thinking about ethical questions. Learning another language might help you gain an appreciation for the similarities in different cultures. Contemplating a sculpture might make you think about how an artist’s life affected her creative decisions. Reading a book from another region of the world might help you think about the meaning of democracy. Listening to a history course might help you better understand the past, while at the same time offering you a clearer picture of the future.
• Gain Perspective : Humanistic studies enrich the soul and make you a cultured individual. A humanistic education will help you understand, appreciate, and produce art, music, theatre, and literature. Humanities disciplines focus on understanding beauty and the good, and give students the opportunity to practice making good and beautiful things themselves.
• Avoid Ethnocentrism : Ethnocentrism is the term anthropologists use to describe the opinion that one’s own way of life is natural or correct. Some would simply call it cultural ignorance. Ethnocentrism means that one may see his/her own culture as the correct way of living. Some cultures can be similar or interlinked in ideas or beliefs; some people feel shocked by the differences they might experience with individuals that are culturally different from themselves. In extreme circumstances, a group of people may see a different way of life in other cultures and consider it wrong; as a result of which the group may try to convert the other group into its way of life. The catastrophic outcome could be a terrifying conflict and genocide if a group does not want to change its ways of living. We all often have instinctive reactions to the practices or beliefs of another person or culture. These reactions, however, do not have to lead to terrifying conflict or genocide. To avoid such awful things, we all have to try to be more culturally relative. Ethnocentrism hampers our understanding of other people’s customs and traditions; at the same time, it prevents us from knowing our customs and traditions.
• Form Interpretations: When you interpret a story, you are trying to find its meaning and significance. You are asking yourself both what the text means and why it is important. Like opinions, interpretations are personal, because they are informed by our own ideas, memories, experiences, and beliefs. Unlike opinions, which can be influenced by our feelings and prejudices, interpretation is based on a close reading of the story, an understanding of its contexts, analysis, and study of what others have discovered about it. Interpretation is an explicit argument about a story’s deeper meanings—its implied themes, values, and assumptions. It pays special attention to the contradictions, tensions, and ambiguities. Interpretation also recognizes how the cultural context of the story and the audience might influence our interpretive conclusions. We can form more informed, open-minded, and well-rounded conclusions about works this way.
• Develop Critical and Analytical Thinking Skills : The various disciplines in the humanities show us how to listen, how to analyze, how to argue, and how to navigate our social world. At its simplest, critical thinking is the process of thinking clearly and rationally about a subject. It takes a step back and looks logically at the ideas, asking questions about them and challenging accepted thought. By engaging in this kind of reflective thinking, you will find yourself developing new ideas and a new way of approaching the subject you are studying. You will no longer take things as they appear and will instead look deeper, ask new questions and find yourself understanding the topic at a much deeper level. Critical thinking turns you from a passive class member into an active learner, someone who engages in what is being taught and questions it, rather than simply nodding along and memorizing what you’re being told. You will find yourself challenging your own preconceived ideas, asking if the arguments around the subject are valid and if findings can be trusted. Being able to think critically isn’t just useful at university; you will find it useful in your future career, too. Without even thinking, we apply the core work of the humanities—the use of critical thinking to identify, solve, and appreciate problems both small and immense—in our daily labors.
• Employ Divergent Thinking: The word  divergent  is partly defined as “tending to be different or develop in different directions.” Divergent thinking refers to the way the mind generates ideas beyond proscribed expectations and rote thinking—what is usually referred to as thinking outside the box and is often associated with creativity. Convergent thinking, on the other hand, requires one to restrict ideas to those that might be correct or the best solution to a problem. In convergent thinking, we start with a question (such as mathematical equation), and we try to formulate one right answer. In divergent thinking, we start with a question, then try to formulate all the possible relevant answers. Each answer is just as “right” as another, and there may be limitless answers to the question.

Developed from Storytelling  Copyright © 2021 by Pamela Bond is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Huma 207: Exploring the Arts and Culture of the World Copyright © 2024 by Karen Brown, Michal Yadlin is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book