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The Perennial Relevance of the Humanities

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The Perennial Relevance of the Humanities

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Alejandro Llano argued that in order for us beings to live with dignity, man needs not only objects that satisfy his immediate needs but also objects that would dignify his existence. Not all things that are valuable can be considered useful because the humanities goes beyond the surface level and dives deeper into the meaning of human life and value.

Llano argued that the Humanities affirms the primacy of spirit over matter. Despite the fact many may deem the study of humanities non utilitarian and impractical, the humanities is used to preserve knowledge and helps to deepen and cultivate values that go beyond the physical aspects of being. It helps man in his search for true meaning and purpose

According to Llano, The Humanities are always committed to values. It is what pushes man in his pursuit of life’s true meaning and purpose. It enriches human life and focuses on the end rather than the means. While technology focuses on the means, the Humanities on the other hand, give importance to the values and ends of human life. It gives meaning and vivifies the technological society we live in today.

Llano argued that what this society needs is not so much “specialists” but “generalists” so to speak: persons with a profound knowledge of the human person; with a capacity for analysis and synthesis with imagination and creativity. Who would know how to resolve new problems and to make rapid decisions. Society needs individuals that are able to look at the big picture, individuals that can overlook the means and focus more on the ends in order to grasp a deeper understanding on things. Although these qualities may be found in very diverse professions, there is no doubt that a humanistic formation most specifically fosters them, especially if such a formation focuses on developing the basic intellectual capacities and has an interdisciplinary slant.

According to Llano, the economy or politics are things far  too important to leave in the hands of the economists or politicians alone. There are many social activities that require principally knowing how to think with depth and rigour, prudence and decisiveness and the possession of a general formation which centers on the knowledge of man and that is why Llano believes in the beauty of the humanities because humanistic formation is essential and necessary for man for it is the base of a complete education.

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According to John Paul II’s Letter written in 1999 to artists, although not all are called to be artists, all types of people are called to make masterpieces of their own life. One should always keep clear in their mind the distinction and connection between the two aspects of human beings being the authors of their own acts regarding their moral virtue and being an artist that answers to the demands of art’s specific rules. The importance of the connection between the distinction of the moral and artistic aspects of this is seen in the history of human culture as artists contribute such amazing masterpieces of painting, sculptures, literature, and music that reflect the inner world of the artist. It is because through this we can state that the history of art and culture is not only a story of works produced but also a story of men and women. A polish poet, Cyprian Norwid once stated that “beauty is to enthuse us for work, and work is to raise us up.” The theme of beauty is decisive for a discourse on art, in fact, it was stated in the book of Genesis in the Bible that God perceived what He created to be good and beautiful after creating the world. Fruitful reflection is the effect of the link between good and beautiful. If you think about it, beauty is the visible for of good while the good is the metaphysical condition of beauty. The Greeks took this to be true to the point that they coined the term “kalokagathia” that fuses the two concepts of good and beauty. “The power of the Good has taken refuge in the nature of the beautiful” was even said by Plato who is Greek. It can be said that beauty is the vocation bestowed upon the artist in the form of ”artistic talent” that ought to be made to bear fruit. The most important obligation of the artist is not to waste his\her talent but to develop it, in order to put it at the service of their neighbour and of the common good of humanity as a whole.

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The Importance of Classical Art as a Point of Reference for the Fine Arts

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The Importance of Classical Art as a Point of Reference for the Fine Arts

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In his letter to artists, Pope John Paul II (1999) describes the early Christian art as “the ripe fruit of the classical world” as it embodied the aesthetic canons and values of Greek and Roman culture in expressing their faith. The influence of classical art can be seen in the different fields of sacred art. For architecture, Christians adapted the style of Roman basilicas, which were originally used for secular purposes, for their new place of worship. In creating sacred music, they followed the standards of Roman music. Lastly, they were inspired by the Byzantine iconography in making their sacred images. Christian art continued to develop throughout the next periods, and “from here came the various styles well known in the history of art”. The Romans and Greeks provided a foundation for Christian art, which then became the inspiration of those leading up to contemporary art. The only way to genuinely understand art is by looking at it in the context of its time, which includes the different styles, techniques, principles, and many more. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense to the viewers. In other words, looking back at classical art helps us appreciate and grasp the true value of fine arts.

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In the Six Great Ideas by Mortimer J. Adler, an American philosopher and author, the word “beauty”,  in an enjoyable sense, is used to describe something that they perceive as nice or good. However, Adler mentions in the text that there are only two definitions of a “beautiful” object-St. Thomas Aquinas’ and Immanuel Kant’s. Aquinas points out that beauty is “that which pleases us upon being seen.". In addition, based on the lectures during class, an object is beautiful when there is unity, proportion, and clarity in the objects. Aquinas’ idea can be interpreted as subjectivism and it says that the beauty of an object can be seen when it gives us pleasure when beheld. Because of this subjective point of view, different people can feel pleasure from different works. Given this, some people may find some works pleasurable while some don’t. To sum it all up, based on the lectures at class, the enjoyable aspect of beauty is defined as subjective, pleasurable, and reasonable. This aspect of beauty is in relation to its viewer or audience and is for all people to enjoy and experience.

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In the Six Great Ideas, by Mortimer J. Adler (2001), chapter sixteen shows us another aspect of beauty that the majority do not understand. In a nutshell, this chapter talks about admirable beauty which is a beautiful object that is perfect for that specific kind of thing. The text includes Aristotle’s and Aquinas’ definition of admirable beauty. Both definitions imply that in order for something to be admirable, it has to have “unity, proportion, clarity” and “size and order”. With all these properties, the object becomes admirable for the perfection it has. One of Adler’s explanations for something to be admirable is the field of carpentry. He states that when it comes to making an admirable table or chair, the parts must be made perfectly for the entire object so that it does its purpose. To summarize everything, an admirable object does not require it to be enjoyable. In other words, admirable beauty is an object that is so perfect, one cannot deny its beauty even if it is not enjoyable. The object must be detailed perfectly so that it has intrinsic excellence. This type of beauty cannot be denied by others since it only talks about the object and not the relationship or sentimental value the object has to the person.

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Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists

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Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists