I agree

Humanism provides the height of freedom to experience, enjoy, and appreciate the many dimensions of being human.

I disagree

I am unsure

Humanists move away from one, single ideology or philosophy and focus more on: the physical world, the joy of learning, and being open to new experiences

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Many groups worry that without a unifying ideology, there would be a breakdown of social relationships.

Their fears are that life would be without purpose, would lack emotional intensity, and that reason or rationalism alone cannot provide meaning.

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Many argue that we cannot really know if a philosophy is right or wrong.

Humanists embrace the idea that human ingenuity, compassion, intellect and wherewithal can solve the problems of the world.

Others argue from a different perspective, believing that another power or force is necessary to help the world, and that humans cannot do it alone.

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I agree

The humanities are, above all, disciplines of openness, inclusion, and respectful interaction.

I disagree

I am unsure

What we see reflected in other cultures is usually something of ourselves. All culture seek beauty, truth, and order.

The humanities help us understand the troubling but often penetrating thoughts that we encounter in our increasingly digital globe.

Through the humanities we learn to seek common ground.

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The humanities do not provide objective information.

Because of this, it is difficult to find solutions to the oldest questions: Why are we here? What is the meaning of life? What happens when we die?

The humanities lack concrete answers and often make generalizations about human nature.

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The humanities provide a positive nature of humankind and present the free will associated with change.

However many ideologies point to human determinism or our lack of power over ourselves.

This determinism could be biological, in that nature or our genes control our behaviors.

This determinism could be spiritual, in that a divine power or force has a plan.

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I agree

The humanities are singly, the best way to help you understand people who think and live differently from you.

I disagree

I am unsure

The humanities have to be engaged and reengaged, generation by generation. By learning about how others have addressed problems, we develop new ways of thinking and new solutions.

Tradition, history, place, culture—these are all ways in which we actually live our lives today. We are where we are, only because of the past and because of our neighbors.

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The reason there have been significant budget cuts in funding the humanities is because the humanities are not practical and there is less interest in art and literature in today’s world.

Students are interested in majors which lead to real jobs.

And, often, the social sciences help explain human nature better than the humanities.

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There were proportionally more English majors amongst 21-year-olds in 2011 than in 1981. But we do not want taxpayers to subsidize subjects that do not seem to lead directly to securing a job.

Studies continue to show a choice of a specific major matters less than the skills that students acquire. And in truth, humanities graduates face no worse unemployment rates than computer scientists or economists.

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I agree

Because Humanism is the study of the human mind and its moral and ethical dimensions, it is the right framework for studying the arts (humanities).

I disagree

I am unsure

All groups deal with social interaction—moderation, personal integrity, self-control, loyalty, altruism, justice and so on. If we do not keep an open-mind, it is difficult to appreciate without judging, understand without criticizing, or empathize without being disapproving.

Humanism is a form of secularism: a method which says that a person’s particular bias should not be part of education (or analysis).

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No culture or civilization has been compatible with secularism. The goals of the state cannot be different from the goals of the religion.

We cannot undo our personal bias or our ideological upbringing. Trying to avoid this is arbitrary and unreasonable.

Our sense of right and wrong is based in philosophy and religion.

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Secularism is not necessarily against any ideology. Instead, it is an attempt to think and analyze independent of a specific belief system. This is the essence of separation of Church and State.

The argument is that we protect religions by refusing to interfere with them. However, the humanities deal with ideas which often overlap with religion. One might also ask, is unbelief a belief? Is secularism a belief system?

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1: Humanism

Consider returning to previous questions and intentionally answering with the opposite viewpoint. Read these opposing ideas and compare with your personal beliefs / values.

2: The Humanities

3: Diversity

4: Humanism & the Humanities