Discussion Post: Reflection on Humanity
One of the greatest issues central to this course is how different disciplines in humanities are related. This understanding has widened my horizon on how history, literature, philosophy, and arts are interrelated and how each helps us understand society and culture. There is one subject I started dealing with constantly and in a different way: art as a cultural product. Previously, I was positively influenced by art only in an indulgent way. But, apart from the knowledge imparted by this course, I have learned how significant art can be as a means of expressing society’s issues and even recording history. Realizing and being able to differentiate the background in which a piece of art was created and its historical, cultural, and political environment has added insights to my analysis and evaluation of works of art.
The humanities have developed my critical thinking skills quite profoundly by making me appreciate a widening array of viewpoints and trying to unravel various meanings and motives of different forms of communication. It has helped me become more aware of prejudices and presuppositions concerning myself and the texts I read. It has also improved the capacity to develop a comprehensive and balanced position with proper evidence from various literature sources.
The humanities have helped me understand culture and history as the foundation for structuring intricate subjects. For instance, while analyzing modern social issues, I consider their background and development throughout the process, which makes me look for even more profound aspects of modern phenomena.
To view art, I feel that there are numerous elements that I must look at, including the biography and social context of the artist, the context of the work’s creation, the intended audience, and finally, society’s perception of the work. Such a broad-based view is possible because the picture of professional work is complex.
I must note that I have acquired and developed several skills that can be useful in everyday and working life throughout the course. In the personal sphere, they help me understand and appreciate artworks, literature, or culture in a much more profound way. In a professional sense, these skills are important when it comes to analyzing information, problem-solving, and giving and understanding information. For example, the competence to evaluate information critically and analyze the situation from different perspectives is mandatory for reasonable decisions and balanced advocacy in business environments.