Reflective Essay Example on Humanities

Art, philosophy, music, poetry, literature, and religion are just a few of the components that make up the studies of the humanities. When reflecting on the humanities, one can only imagine how encompassing the study of human history can be; there are numerous creation stories and schools of thought that I never would have been introduced to if it were not the humanities. The humanities allow us to take a step back and look at the experiences of our ancestors, giving the opportunity to draw parallels in their struggles to our own, and providing clarity for all our history. 

As a computer science student, the impact of the humanities on my studies were not immediately clear. However, after reading The Cave and digesting the profound stance it has on the fragility of knowledge and the importance of asking questions, there is no doubt in my mind that the relatively modern development of technology would not have taken place if it were not for the willingness of early philosophers to ask questions and find answers. The early Greek philosophers Plato and Socrates helped lay the groundwork for our constitutional process, the attitudes towards liberty, equality, and justice, are commonplace in the world because of brave works like The Republic and Crito which completely challenged the status-quo of their era and helped inspire a generation of thinkers across the globe. 

In current times, author Le Guin is crafting works such The Ones Who Walk Away from the Omelas which (like the other writers taught in this unit) pose ethical questions to the reader, inspiring the reader to think and provide answers to questions they themselves may have never asked. When the world collectively does more thinking, we get better solutions to problems we have. When we have better solutions, there are less problems, when there are less problems, we become happier people (without chaining up children in the basement).

Arguably, the most impactful and shortest section of the unit, creation stories have a profound impact on society, both from a scope and on a personal level. Every well-written story has a beginning, and it fell to many cultures to ask “How?” and “Why?” on the question of man’s origin. Genesis, the book of creation, guides me often, and helps outline my existence and the impact of my presence on this earth. Without the study of human history, many of these stories would be lost to the curtain of time, and the faith associated with them lost as well. 

After my experience with the works of Unit One, I am extremely excited to explore what further the humanities have to offer and look forward to the many new perspectives I will be exposed to through our reading of various famous philosophers, artists, and poets. With some reflection, it’s become evident that the study of humanity is one of our most important studies and helps bridge the academics with human experience. When we take just one step back to examine our history, we take two steps towards our future; a man that doesn’t know where he came from has gone nowhere at all.