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What
are the Humanities?
The humanities
are at the center of learning. They include the the study of reading,
writing, language, and thinking. They are also the investigation
of the ideas, stories, and themes of all times and peoples, and
are the key to understanding the diversity and richness of all cultures.
Through its
many programs, the Humanities Center helps Minnesotans improve their
critical thinking skills and appreciate the diversity of human experience
found in literature, history, languages, philosophy, anthropology,
and the arts.
The humanities
include:
- history
- literature
- philosophy,
including ethics and logic
- foreign languages
- comparative
religion
- archaeology
- jurisprudence
(history and philosophy of law)
- theory, criticism,
and history of the arts
- social studies,
including American studies, ethnic studies, and foreign studies
- social sciences
(anthropology, economics, government, political science, psychology,
sociology) when they employ historical and interpretive rather
than quantitative methods
The study of
the humanities promotes the development of many important skills:
- Reading
- Writing
- Critical
thinking (reasoning, organizing ideas, making distinctions, recognizing
important similarities, grasping what is essential)
- decision-making
(maturity and refinement of judgment, ability to give good reasons)
- communication
(clear, cogent expression of ideas and beliefs)
self-understanding
- valuation
(ability to deal rationally with questions of value, to set priorities
and balance competing ideals)
- cross-cultural
awareness
- aesthetic
sensibility
- civic responsibility
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