Analyzing the Importance of Humanities and its Position in Education

This essay explores the importance of humanities in education, addressing the question of why it is undervalued despite its significant contributions. It emphasizes that liberal education, encompassing subjects from history and philosophy to art and sociology, plays a crucial role in shaping well-rounded individuals capable of navigating complexity and change. The essay discusses the skills cultivated through humanities, such as critical thinking and creative reasoning, and how they are essential not only for artistic endeavors but also for business and politics. It also acknowledges the challenges faced by humanities in the era of STEM and big data, where it is often perceived as non-relevant. Despite these challenges, the essay argues for the continued importance of humanities in fostering a deeper understanding of human experience and preparing individuals for a rapidly evolving world. Desklib provides access to a wealth of academic resources, including essays and solved assignments, for students seeking to enhance their learning experience.

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LIBERAL EDUCATION
In the private sectors almost two-third employees are from humanities major. Almost
60% of the United States CEOs have degrees in the humanities. Also, the federal research money
in the U.S for the humanities is only 0.5 per cent and only about 1 per cent in Europe. The facts
show the condition of the humanities as well as potential of the humanities (Zakaria). The
question that arises is, if the humanities are important, why it is undervalued? It is through liberal
education that an individual experience multi-disciplinary approach to education. Students get
the choice of selecting the course that are varied and responds to the discovery as well as
exploration. Some people are in the opinion that studying arts and humanities is of no use. It is
irrelevant as it cannot save person from dying or prevent big problems such as cancer or poverty.
Associated with the similar discussion, the paper aims to discuss the importance of humanities in
education and the reasons it should remain in education field.
The approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with
diversity, complexity and change is called liberal education. From history, philosophy, literature
to music, sociology, psychology, music, art and anthropology, these are the humanities subject
which contributes in making people human (Zakaria). The significance of humanities is that it
helps students realize the value of being human. The field of humanities includes studies that are

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not quantitatively but qualitatively investigate the human experience. The existence of
humanities subject has a long history in the educational field which involves some of the great
thinkers such as William Shakespeare, Robert Frost, Aristotle, Karl Marx and many more. Some
of the scholar of humanities feels that through humanities the central questions of human life are
addressed. It is abroad academic filed that provides opportunities of studying various types of
human interactions that involve intense analytical, critical and exploratory skills and methods.
Humanities have certain contents that are explicit to explore in itself. Since humanities serve
various disciplines where the society and human beings focus on different forms of studies, it is
also referred to ‘integrated humanities’. Naming the subjects of the humanities stream, the
subjects are history, sociology, geography, religious education, psychology, government and
politics and law.
The reasons humanities exist:Certainly the career trajectory with a humanities degree is
hard to determine as it is hard to put value on the ways the human experience can be processed.
Definitelythere are factors that make humanities interesting and for years have grabbed the
attention of the several famous poets, philosophers, sociologist and many more. The humanities
inculcate broad knowledge of multiple disciplines along with in-depth knowledge of any
discipline under the humanities. There is scope of inter-disciplinary learningalong with different
approach to learning and proving transferable skill set to the people (Strauss 7).
Through exploration of humanities, one learns the skill of thinking creatively and
critically. An individual learn to reason and ask questions which is a crucial part of evolving and
developing personality. These skills not only help in creating beautiful poems and paintings but
also business models and politics. Human behaviour is understood through a humanity which is
the key factor of developing the morals of life and understanding human life in better

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perspectives (Benneworth 46). Humanities have in ingrained in the liberal arts from the Ancient
Greek. The use of humanities has been made during those ages in order to educate the citizens. It
was only through humanities citizens would learn humanity and human life and make society a
civilised place (Van der Wende).Not everything can be reduced to a data point. Although data
points are highly useful, they are also impossible in many cases. It is hard to understand by the
present culture that everything takes time however, the present culture is used to prioritizing
speed and definite answers. Students do not like to think or critically think. Data points are also
often unnecessary that only makes arguments regarding its importance.
According to Strauss (7), Liberal education provides understanding the world. Any
research that has been conducted to human experience is done under the discipline of humanities
which increases knowledge in regard to the world. Many scholars research regarding different
cultures, values associated with it and about the way making of art takes place. It is the process
history is constructed and humanities give insight to it helping in the development of future
(Bass and Eynon). Their effort of studying the past preserve the accomplishments of the past
days, help in gaining knowledge about human capabilities and provide tools to imagine the
future.In the present days, a strong foundation is provided for exploring human experiences
through humanistic knowledge. Studying philosophy helps questioning ethical values, learning
another language helps gaining appreciations, contemplating sculpture helps in understanding an
artist's perception of life and their creative thinking and reading books on other regions gives
idea on democracy and secularism. Lastly reading the history offers clarity about future.
The reasons that humanities remain undermined are due to the fact it is perceived as non-
relevant as it does not perform the jobs of STEM (science, technology, engineering and
mathematics). In the contemporary era of big data and STEM, it has become highly common that

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liberal arts degrees are relatively worthless. There is hardly any scope of opportunity for student
with literature degree apart from teaching (Peterson). It is not a new concern as previously as
well there have been several articles raising the same questions. It is since then, public and
private sectors not only pushes the STEM education but also ceased to put input in the liberal
arts degree. Humanities subject are hard to quantify and that is the reason that make it difficult
for some people to understand the importance of it.
Although liberal arts have several benefits and the subject is losing its value in the recent
days. The reason for it is that many tech-sectors have presented argument that liberal arts is
irrelevant and it do not have significant purpose in the education sector. The worlds needs more
doctor, engineers and scientists who would help solving the bigger problems. In order to have
more such professions, students would require STEM more than liberal arts. Also, students have
developed the idea that there are more career options when they are from STEM background.
This idea has lead many students make wrong career choices and landed up depressed by not
becoming successful in the STEM subject. Therefore, the subject is losing it significance in the
education field. Also, the high expenses on education are putting tremendous pressure on the
families and students of ensuring the input value of the education is obtained back again when
they achieve a good job. This is specifically true for the middle class families who have to think
hard before they choose a career or education (Van der Wende 130).
As stated earlier, the approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them
to deal with diversity, complexity and change is called liberal education. There is certainly need
of humanities at the end of the paper. The reasons provided are just that help in understanding
the importance of the humanities.

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Work cited:
Bass, Randy, and Bret Eynon. Open and integrative: Designing liberal education for the new
digital ecosystem. Association of American Colleges and Universities. 1818 R Street
NW, Washington, DC 20009, 2016.
Benneworth, Paul. "Tracing how arts and humanities research translates, circulates and
consolidates in society.. How have scholars been reacting to diverse impact and public
value agendas?." Arts and humanities in higher education 14.1 (2015): 45-60.
Caton, Kellee. "On the practical value of a liberal education." The routledge handbook of tourism
and hospitality education. Routledge, 2014. 75-86.
Peterson, Patti. "Liberal education in the global perspective." International Higher Education 62
(2015).
Strauss, Leo. "What is liberal education?." Academic ethics. Routledge, 2017. 3-8.
Strauss, Leo. "What is liberal education?." Academic ethics. Routledge, 2017. 3-8.
Van der Wende, Marijk. "The emergence of liberal arts and sciences education in Europe: A
comparative perspective." The Evolution of Liberal Arts in the Global Age. Routledge,
2017. 128-148.
Van der Wende, Marijk. "The emergence of liberal arts and sciences education in Europe: A
comparative perspective." The Evolution of Liberal Arts in the Global Age. Routledge,
2017. 128-148.
Zakaria, Fareed. In defense of a liberal education. WW Norton & Company, 2015.