Digithum (Apr 2004)
The myth of the Humanities in crisis
Abstract
Denying from the start that Humanities are in crisis, the author examines certain aspects of this statement, reflecting on what is meant by stating that the Humanities are in crisis, arguing for the growing interest in human sciences and looking more closely at the concept of myth and its use. From this basis, he examines the aim of this myth of the crisis in Humanities and reaches the conclusion that it may be used to discredit the Humanities as a knowledge system that stands alone and to subordinate them to science and technology and the principles of use and profitability controlled by power.Faced with this, Terricabras wonders how the debate on Humanities can be opened today whilst avoiding the error of identifying the Humanities in terms of the arts and creating conflict between the arts and the sciences, given that society, as it becomes more scientific and technological, needs more study into language, communication, history, philosophy, ethics, etc. This line of thought brings us ultimately to his recommending that, in contrary to the prejudices of specialisation, global understanding and a humanistic education be proposed which does not exclude mathematics, physics, biology or technology, as it is in the interrelation and the understanding of the difference that we can reencounter the sense of humanity.
