One Day Academy

What are the Humanities?

The humanities are a broad group of academic disciplines that includes history, literature, philosophy, foreign languages, ethics, the arts, and the study of culture. This branch of study concerns itself with the study of human experience. Historically, the humanities have aspired to better the human condition by learning from the past, thinking critically of the present, and anticipating the future. At present, the One Day Academy Humanities Department consists of history, government, Methodical Bible Study, and Western Worldview.

 

Why are the Humanities Vital?

The humanities have much to teach us. They seek to answer the big questions of life. What is the purpose of life? What is the truth and how do we know it? How do we judge the moral validity of our actions? Humanities primarily teach us about how to think. They seek to equip us to think critically about ourselves, our history and our current culture. They help us formulate our core values and beliefs about the world around us, about what is right, and about what is wrong. The humanities allow us to learn from the past and evaluate the present. In so doing, the humanities equip us for whatever the future brings our way. They seek to give us the skills to think effectively so we can live effectively.

 

Robert Oliver

World View Instructor