A N I N T R O D U C T I O N

HUMANITIES 100

Alexis Persani/Léo Caillard, Street Stone (2012)

WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES?

• A collection of disciplines • Classics• History• Linguistics• Literature• Performing Arts• Music• Theater• Dance

• Philosophy• Religion• Visual Arts

WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES?

• A collection of disciplines: • Common method of critical thinking

• Examining evidence through observation• Studying the context of an issue• Discerning the relevant criteria for making a

judgment• Using the right methods to reach a judgment• Applying the correct theories to understand the

problem.

WHAT ARE THE HUMANITIES?

• A collection of disciplines: • Common method of critical thinking• Common research technique

• Identifying research problem• What have others said about this?• Identify the purpose of the research• Forming specific questions• Collect data• Analyze data• Evaluate and Report results

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Overview of Western Culture

Alexis Persani/Léo Caillard, Street Stone (2012)

WESTERN CULTUREWhat Are the Humanities?:

Week 1

• What makes us human?• What is the so-called

crisis of the humanities?• Human values vs.

market values• Why the humanities

matter

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Globalism & The Impact of Technology Week 2:

• How do human values work in a technological society?

WESTERN CULTURE

Visual Arts: Week 3

• Historical periods• How to look at art• Realism• Abstraction• Why it matters

Aeneas’ Flight From TroyFederico Barocci, 1598

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Music and the Performative Arts- Week 4

• Melody • Rhythm• Pitch • Harmony• How music works• Why music and dance

matter

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Communication and Performance - Week 5

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Religions of the World - Week 6

WHAT WILL WE STUDY?

• Philosophy: Foundations and Modern Ideas - Week 7

• Aristotle • Plato• John Locke• David Hume• Immanuel Kant

Raphael’s ‘School of Athens’ (1509-10), with Plato and Aristotle

WHAT WILL WE LEARN?

• What is knowledge, and how do we acquire it?• Epistemology

• How do we define the role of the artist?• Including visual artist, writer, musician, etc.

• What can the arts accomplish?• What are differences in what is accomplished between,

for example, music and the visual arts.

• How does philosophy differ from opinion? • How do knowing common fallacies help us discern good

arguments?

HUMANITIES 100

Welcome to the class!

• Please ask course questions in the “Ask the Professor” conference.• The best way to reach me is via email

walter.ratliff@faculty.umuc.edu• Please see the syllabus for information about

projects and assignments.