Differences In Our Education
Education can be broken up into categories. These categories can be
studied independently or intertwined to give a more in depth approach
to a topic. Education seems loosely divided between the humanities
and the sciences. From these subjects each field can be broken down
into further disciplines, and each discipline has it's own emphasis that
narrow the field of study. Through this brief description of a typical
education system it is evident that defining fields of study is
complicated because of the different approaches to learning and
understanding different topics. The process of discovery and types of
questions and criteria accepted for an answer are different between
the arts, humanities, and empirical sciences.
The humanities are the study of what it is to be human. It is a
very introspective and comparative look at the human species and
characteristics that we all share. Examples of the Humanities are
literature, communication, and critical thought. Art is a creation based
on emotion to show action or relate an experience. The Arts have
many different mediums or tools; painting, ceramics, dance, and
singing are all examples of expression that is considered art. The arts
fall with the humanities because of it's relation to human nature.
The Empirical sciences are on the opposite side of the spectrum. They
can be broken down into two sub categories, the Natural and Social
sciences. These subjects attempt to study complex and unknown ideas
and places. Unlike the Arts and Humanities there is little emotion or
introspection involved. There is more influence placed on the
imagination and reasoning. Processes are more structured. Doing this
offers guidelines. Natural science is the study of living things and that
of the natural world. Disciplines that make up natural science are
Biology, Geography, Physics, and Chemistry. In the Empirical sciences
usually specify in one field, by doing this it gives them a better ability
to interpret data, thus making them more credible. The Social Sciences
are the study of our society. It is the study of how humans came to
be, changed, and where we are going. It not only involves people but
the trends and behaviors we create. These patterns can be anything
from social anthropology, economics, or psychology. The Empirical
Sciences base answers and facts on theory, logic, math, and evidence.
They strive to be predictable and accurate.
The process of discovery is different between the arts/humanities and
the empirical sciences. There are no right or wrong answers to the
inquiry or results produced by the Arts and Humanities. The process of
discovery is very natural. What truly defines art are the people and
circumstances of the moment. Analysis is done considering many
factors. A lot of these factors stem from human emotions that most
humans feeling. Critical thinking creates conclusions more realistic and
current. A great example that shows how all opinions are right is when
critiquing art. Multiple people can view an art piece in many different
ways. These ways are discussed and ideas are exchanged. But that
only explains the answers. The same example can be used to show
how complex the process of discovery can be. An artist usually works
from an unexplainable internal drive to create. This drive confronts
topics ranging from personal experiences, politics, and current society.
Influences can come from all around or come from inside. It is possible
to say that a scientific method approach can be taken to creating art,
but each artist has his or her own method. Back to the example of how
a piece of art is critiqued the process of discovery for each artist is
different and varies for each person. An example in the humanities
that serves as a process of discovery is defining terms in a women
studies class. Defining terms that are often new or recently thought up
often relies on a group of people who consider themselves scholars or
professionals in the field of feminism. After much discussion the ideas
thrown around, actually there is a discussion about new and up coming
problems feminist face and though all there talking they decide on a
new word or phrase. Often times the definition that is ultimately left
open for interpretation. Professionals in the humanities even question
their own logic. Discovery among the Empirical sciences also involves
asking questions. The questions they ask are more answer driven,
meaning more often then not they have an idea of what the answer
will be. They are asking theoretical questions about the topic at hand
and predicting and theorizing. The process of discovery can be
accidental, like stumbling upon new ideas during research or very
systematic. Systematic approaches use methods like the Scientific
Method or theories proven by previous scientists.
The empirical sciences have traditionally been used to back up facts
and reasons for big world problems. The world relies heavily on these
facts to prove and show how we are being affected. Relying heavily on
mathematics, statistics, and research to prove theories. These facts
are usually exchanged within academic communities, and also within
communities of power. There data is often complex and difficult to
understand by someone who is uneducated. This is how the answers
and data that is proven correct is different between the Empirical
sciences and the Arts and Humanities. The natural sciences focus on
life outside of humans. This discipline is very math driven for answers
and well as discovery amongst natural scientists. The social sciences
focus on the study of humans. Both in the natural and social science
use patterns to predict. So where humanities or behaviors of humans,
social sciences cover many aspects of human behavior and can be
predicted by trends in the past. Many social sciences rely heavily on
history to further discovery. By looking into the past it shows how we
got there and who we are. It is different than the humanities in that
it's not what culturally we have done to change as people but what
physical evident there is and if there is no physical evidence than what
statistics, data, or experiments can prove and stand as fact. Studies
and experiments on animals base many psychological theories and
products. They have a large effect on humans and medicine. Recently
at the University of California Berkley are working toward introducing
way to reach the hearts and minds of the people of the world in
through the arts and humanities. The study of living things, their
patterns and mindsets, and earth, which is the social sciences and use
an Arts and Humanities as a way of informing non academic people of
our community and speak for native people whose voice is unheard.
The empirical sciences are on the opposite side of the spectrum. There
is no human emotion involved in the answers that professionals find
acceptable. Answers and facts rely on theory, logic, math, and
evidence. They strive to be predictable and accurate. Global warming
shows many examples of how the empirical sciences have proven and
shown predicted changes. The use of measurements, numbers, and
physical evidence gives concrete answers. Patterns also show evidence
similar to history how "history often repeats itself."
Through these subjects we are not only defining they are attempting
to influence and educate generations to come. Often the decision is
made to focus on one subject over the other, especially in higher
education systems. I believe the world we greatly benefit if difficult
world problems were tackled in a interdisciplinary sort of way.