Astral: (Theosophy) Consisting of, belonging to, or designating, a kind of supersensible substance alleged to be next above the tangible world in refinement; as, astral spirits; astral bodies of persons; astral current.
Age of the Humanities
In these days of changes and budget cutting, on campus we see the budget knife poised over the literature, arts, and humanities areas. Perhaps this should be troubling to us all.
Historians and many social scientists will tell us that human civilization has shifted from agrarian societies to what is called the Industrial Age, where powers of production and labor capabilities were the bases for power and value. More recently, civilization has been in what some call the Information Age, where control and manipulation of knowledge and information have reigned. As we have continued into the 21st century and the third modern millennium, control over and access to information is no longer available only to a privileged few, as anyone can “Google” this or blog that.
Daniel Pink, a commentator on business and technology issues, has suggested that we are now in the Conceptual Age, where powers of human sensitivity will hold the key to success in life. In other words, the opportunities, capabilities and skills of “design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning” will be valued. It is not having the information and knowledge that will be important; rather, the application and use of the content will be of greater value.
British philosopher Roger Scruton has divided knowledge into three categories. He calls these “knowledge that, how, and what,” which can be restated as knowledge related to “information, skill, and virtue.” In other words, knowledge “that” would help us understand the meaning of a bicycle and the principles of its design. Knowledge “how” would refer to having the capability of pedaling it, applying the brakes, competing in BMX extreme sports, etc. Finally, knowledge “what” involves the proper time, place, circumstances, etc. in applying such skills – should we ride at full speed across campus and down the hallways between classes? Should we ride in the middle of the street and impede other vehicle traffic when no specific bike lane is marked? Scruton says such knowledge is the basis for a cultural “ethical vision,” which he says “is a knowledge not of facts nor of means but of ends: the most precious knowledge we have.”
And isn’t this the knowledge addressed by the Humanities? Isn’t it through the various disciplines of the Humanities (art, literature, philosophy, music, language, theater, etc.) that people are able to exercise and experience the components of the “Conceptual Age” that Pink has identified?
As many have noted, in a time when we see emphasis on multicultural inclusion, why are cutting off the avenues for the sharing of stories, empathy, symphony, etc. that connect us with the cultural diversity that surrounds us in the barrios, ghettos, ‘burbs, and other ‘hoods? Shouldn’t today’s students learn to develop an understanding of the skills, values, and knowledge “what” needed in the Conceptual Age?
This reminds me of the story of the prospector and his donkey.
Every month the two would come down from the hills to get fresh supplies. Each time the prospector was disturbed by the cost of feed for his donkey. Finally, he told the owner of the supply store that he had figured out a solution – he would train the donkey to live on sawdust, which was in plentiful supply in the hills.
After several months like this, the prospector came down to the town without the donkey.
Where is your donkey?" the shopkeeper asked him.
“Oh, I must be the unluckiest person alive,” moaned the prospector. “Just as I finally trained the donkey to survive on sawdust, it died!”
Walter Lowe
Astral Facts is a monthly presentation of Humanities Science, produced in the bowels of the Humanities Science offices.
