Progress and Values in the Humanities: Comparing Culture and Science
- ISBN-10
- 0231519818
- ISBN-13
- 9780231519816
- Category
- Science
- Pages
- 288
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2009-12-01
- Publisher
- Columbia University Press
- Author
- Volney Gay
Description
Money and support tend to flow in the direction of economics, science, and other academic departments that demonstrate measurable "progress." The humanities, on the other hand, offer more abstract and uncertain outcomes. A humanist's objects of study are more obscure in certain ways than pathogens and cells. Consequently, it seems as if the humanities never truly progress. Is this a fair assessment? By comparing objects of science, such as the brain, the galaxy, the amoeba, and the quark, with objects of humanistic inquiry, such as the poem, the photograph, the belief, and the philosophical concept, Volney Gay reestablishes a fundamental distinction between science and the humanities. He frees the latter from its pursuit of material-based progress and restores its disciplines to a place of privilege and respect. Using the metaphor of magnification, Gay shows that, while we can investigate natural objects to the limits of imaging capacity, magnifying cultural objects dissolves them into noise. In other words, cultural objects can be studied only within their contexts and through the prism of metaphor and narrative. Gathering examples from literature, art, film, philosophy, religion, science, and psychoanalysis, Gay builds a new justification for the humanities. By revealing the unseen and making abstract ideas tangible, the arts create meaningful wholes, which itself is a form of progress.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2010
- 231 pages
- Paperback
- Columbia University Press
Similar books
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeThis new edition introduces more problem-solving strategies and new conceptual and challenge problems. Also, each Chapter Review has been enhanced with Learning Goals to reinforce the mastery of concepts for students.
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
By Karen TimberlakeThis laboratory manual contains 42 experiments for the standard sequence of topics in general, organic, and biological chemistry.
-
Basic Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeThe book guides students through basic chemistry problem solving with engaging visuals and a focus on developing the math skills necessary to be successful in the course.
-
General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: Structures of Life, eBook, Global Edition
By Karen C. TimberlakeThe full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either ...
-
Basic Chemistry
By Karen C. Timberlake, William E. TimberlakeBasic Chemistry
-
Basic Chemistry, Books a la Carte Edition
By Karen C. TimberlakeBasic Chemistry, Books a la Carte Edition
-
Essential Laboratory Manual for General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeEssential Laboratory Manual for General, Organic and Biological Chemistry
-
Basic Chemistry, Global Edition
By Karen C. Timberlake, Bill TimberlakeThe main objective in writing this text is to make the study of chemistry an engaging and a positive experience for students by relating the structure and behaviour of matter to real life.
-
General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry: An Integrated Approach
By Karen C. Timberlake, Laura D. Frost, Todd S. DealThe eText pages look exactly like the printed text, and include powerful interactive and customization functions. This is the product access code card for MasteringChemistry with Pearson eText and does not include the actual bound book.
-
Chemistry: An Introduction to General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry
By Karen C. TimberlakeHealth, Environmental, and Green Chemistry Notes throughout the text relate chemistry chapters to real-life topics in health, the environment, and medicine that are interesting and motivating to students.