History and the Natural Sciences
Jacob Burckhardt (1818-1897) assesses, for his students in Basel, the relation between history and the natural sciences, “the only disinterested comrades we have.” […]
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04, 2018
26
03, 2017
Saving the humanities through history (Rens Bod, Chronicle of Higher Education)
How understanding the humanities' past illuminates their present and future importance, as they have discovered new findings critical to understanding our world.
16
03, 2017
Modern tragedy: the fears of physical annihilation and the role of the writer
Modern tragedy: the fears of physical annihilation and the role of the writer Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no longer problems of the spirit. There is only one question: When will I be blown up? Because of [...]
11
03, 2017
The Question of the Humanities
The Question of the Humanities: the editor of Humanities Watch weighs questions the humanities ask, and are asked, concerning their relation to the sciences, technology, and business interests. Text of the remarks can be found here.
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03, 2017
Medicine finds its roots in the humanities (J. Kutac, R. Osipov, A. Childress, Journal of Medical Humanities)
How the current shape of healthcare can learn much from investigating Renaissance perspectives on the human condition, and the manner in which humanists describe this condition.
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03, 2017
How useful are the humanities, and to what end? (Johann N. Neem, Process)
An historian asks about the ways the humanities are suitable for modern society.
30
03, 2016
Gambling on the meaning of nothing
Gambling on the meaning of nothing: how much do we really understand one another, even as friends? Minaccio, a witty man and a gambler, once lost his cash and his coat, too, playing at dice (he was truly poor), and sat weeping at the doorway of the tavern. A friend saw him distraught and in [...]
28
03, 2016
How humanities teach us the art of life (Arnold Weinstein, New York Times)
How the humanities teach us the art of life. A professor of literature asks about life's greater meaning, which the humanities may provide. According to the author, "The humanities interrogate us. They challenge our sense of who we are, even of who our brothers and sisters might be."
23
03, 2016
In Canada, the liberal arts are still relevant (iPolitics)
In Canada, the liberal arts are still relevant, for their relationship with STEM fields fosters innovation and enterprise. From the post: A March 2016 report from The Business Council of Canada surveyed 90 Canadian employers who said when hiring entry-level employees, skills in teamwork, communication, problem-solving and collaboration were more sought-after than technical expertise. (with thanks to [...]
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03, 2016
What employers want from college graduates (AAC&U)
What employers want: employees with liberal arts and humanities sensibilities. What employees lack: these sensibilities .... The article states: that "employers overwhelmingly endorse broad learning and cross-cutting skills as the best preparation for long-term career success. However, employers also give students very low grades on nearly all of the 17 learning outcomes explored in the study, including [...]