[lit-ideas] Anti + Humanism
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 17 Nov 2007 11:44:34 EST
Okay so. Thank you, Eric. That was very interesting. Must say the entry
makes for difficult read, but I get the point. Some more comments below.
a person who pursues the study of the humanities
quote:
<accused by humanists of having an exclusive interest in social sciences --
Publ's Mod. Lang. Association of America>
-- of American what? Oh, I see it's of America. Sorry.
--- You'll agree there is something ambiguous about the 'pursuing' -- sort
of never reaching... And there's something bloodless (to use James's word)
about 'study', too. On top of it, the quote makes it as if _all_ social
sciences
are 'anti-humanistic', which _may_ not be the case.
-- the quote may be expanded as meaning that person 'accused by humanists'
did not consider _literature_. But what about _art_. It's hardly considered
one of the Humanities. There are usually Faculties of Art, which is a real
blow
for the Humanities. We have too many people who can quote and memorise the
Aeneis, but cannot tell their Leusippos from their Polykleitos.
Another quote:
<called for a greater understanding between scientists and humanists --
Science>
Second definition:
an adherent or practitioner of Renaissance humanism ; specifically : a
Renaissance scholar devoting himself to the study of classical letters
-- again, I don't necessarily like the emphasis on _letters_ as opposed to
art. If you think as the prototypical Firenze scholar, he would be spending
more time in the Uffizi or at the loggia or at an author's studio than in the
Bibliotheca. It's was all very visual,
Renaissance humanism -- or 'plastic' to use the Greek word.
Second category of definition:
a person who is devoted to human welfare : one who is marked by a strong
interest in or concern for man : HUMANITARIAN <a humanist, a lover of all
sorts
of people -- Yale Review> <a humanist, who felt deeply about inequality ...
wherever he saw it -- Max Lerner>
I see that one may prefer to use 'humanitarian' for that. Incidentally, I am
reminded that the title page of John Locke's Essay Concerning Human
Understanding actually reads "HumanE" which I thought was nice -- if
antiphilosophical?
Third group: 3 a often capitalized : a person who subscribes to the
doctrines of scientific humanism ; specifically : a member of a religious
society or
cult subscribing to such doctrines b : a person who subscribes to a form of
philosophical humanism c : NEW HUMANIST."
I'm not familiar with that cult, and the New Humanism may refer to William
James -- hardly new now.
Thanks for the help, and comments welcome when you find the time.
J. L. Speranza
Buenos Aires, Argentina
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