Quotes from thinkers, old and new, about how the humanities relate to our lives.
The “third culture” integrating science and humanities
The "third culture" integrating science and humanities: employing a term developed by C.P. Snow and John Brockman, an Italian astronomer reflects on the creative way forward: Emotion therefore is common to science and art, humanistic [...]
Time and remembrance
Time and remembrance: recalling our place in the change of the year opens up new possibilities for us to commemorate the lives of others, to "preserve frail transitory fame," and also to acknowledge the source of what [...]
Do the humanities provide nothing?
Do the humanities provide nothing? And if so, does this "nothingness" reveal more than does science or other fields of knowledge? The Yellow Emperor went wandering To the north of the Red Water To the Kwan [...]
Solitude, inwardness, and demands of life
Solitude, inwardness, and demands of life: how listening to the inner self, the poetic voice, offers freedom from conventions of work and society. I don’t want you to be without a greeting from me when [...]
Learning, language, and moral character
Learning, language, and moral character: to what degree does education, in humanities or the sciences, influence our moral progress? Their own weakness, however, is not the only factor which can make students of philosophy waver [...]
Memory’s saving grace
Memory's saving grace: how history, carried in deep recollection, can rescue us in adversity. Meantime they were strolling slowly along the path and suddenly Smurov exclaimed: “There's Ilusha's stone, under which they wanted to bury [...]
Medicine, morality, and suffering
Medicine, morality, and suffering: what can experience teach us about medical objectivity? “There is no real difference between a warm, snug study and this ward,” said Andrey Yefimitch. “A man's peace and contentment do [...]
Technology’s cost, humanity’s price
Technology's cost, humanity's price: whether we understand the ways technology asserts its influence even over our most basic self-understanding Modern science and the total state, as necessary consequences of the nature of technology, are also [...]
Platinum, poetry, and the past: using science to imagine the poet’s response to history
Platinum, poetry, and the past: using science to imagine the poet's response to history Honest criticism and sensitive appreciation is directed not upon the poet but upon the poetry.... In the last article I tried to [...]
Adding to life, in physics or metaphysics
Adding to life, in physics or metaphysics: does the number of years constitute our goal, or the vitality of the years? Physicist: ... without getting out my microscope, I judge that life is a finer [...]