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Humanities in College (Innovation (While STEM fields do create a lot of…
Humanities in College
Innovation
While STEM fields do create a lot of the production in new products, they teach a linear way of thinking. This method of thinking does not translate well into solving problems that come up in production. Many companies seek individuals who can problem solve as part of a skill set. (Ray)
The skills taught in humanities classes are often ones more developed than other STEM classes. Firstly, the ability to think critically in a non-linear fashion. The other skill is the ability to communicate clearly. These skills help supplement weaker areas that STEM fields.
Our economic dependency is founded on the principle of new companies entering fields and pushing the boundaries. These entrepreneurs cannot have the same ideas as the larger more stabilized companies otherwise not innovations would take place. The creative factor associated with STEM fields provides a fresh and unique experience that can grow new ideas and theories. (Edelstein)
Globalization
In humanities courses, a person can learn about different cultures and how to communicate effectively with those cultures. Through literature and languages, these skills help aid non-native people to promote a more positive relationship with other countries. (Strauss)
A single nation cannot hope to achieve the same success as many countries working on the same project. With the use of language and culture skills, representatives from a company could go to another country and promote a healthy business relationship. The relationship will allow faster and more productive growth, and better communication to help businesses grow.
Production Value
It is difficult for humanities departments to show the justification for large funding, due to not producing a tangible object the public can use. When you do not have a physical way to show value, your field is going to seem like a luxury rather than a necessity. (Fish)
Creating art is a beautiful aspect of a culture, but (even if it is a necessity) it does not come anywhere near the importance of something like a vaccine. Even if there is a justification for the skills brought by humanities, they are not only learned in humanities. Critical thinking is a hallmark skill of the humanities, though it is not unique to one area; this skill can be acquired in other areas of study - whereas a chemical make up for a flu vaccine is a set skill that is learned in STEM.
Job Acquisition
The liberal arts degrees have an increased rate of unemployment or under-employment within the work force. This is primarily a drain on the college to then produce so many of the people in these majors, as many will not find a job in their chosen field. This then increased the overall cost of education for people in other areas of study. (Cohan)
To Cohan's point, college might be a bit cheaper if these departments were cut altogether, but I do not think they would make a big enough difference if the humanities were kept as a general requirement. His argument is based on the total removal of humanities, though there are many subjects - such as English - that every student needs as a foundation for their learning. College "might" be cheaper depending on how many students enrolled in the humanities courses versus how much the teachers are paid. If the students' tuition exceeds staff compensation, it is more cost effective to keep humanities course.
Self-Awareness
Too many times are people desensitized to the information that they see in media. People, especially children, do not emotionally connect with the world around them. The desensitization leads to relationship and morality problems, some of which humanities courses can help prevent. (Simmons)
The problem with a STEM field is that they are not focused on the internal responses and problems with the world. This is increasing daily as attacks on innocent people and countries at war continue. When people do not have a connection or response, it begs the question when and what will generate a response. Complex relationships cannot last on surface level responses; once those are gone, so is the fabric of our basic need for socializing.
A Quantifiable World
Somewhere in the development of the STEM fields, the thought process emerged that unless a field can be quantified and replicated it is not as valuable as those that can. Many subjects are attempting to become a "hard" area (psychology) in an attempt to legitimize their field. (Konnikova)
The problem with attempting to quantify everything is how subjective it can be. Take imagination; there is no way to tell how imaginative someone is, or how it affects something like resiliency. Even if this were possible, there is always going to be an exception because of the unpredictability of human behavior. This does not mean that these events are not real or less valuable - in fact, they can be more valuable to the individual. Quantifying subjects not mean to be quantified only seeks to open them up to more criticism, and more skepticism.