Definition of Humanities

The term Humanities comes from a Latin word humanus, which means human,
cultured and refined.
Human - Having the nature of people, being a person.
Cultured - Adaptation to environment (social interaction, norms)
Refined - Norms, being civilize and socialize

Differentiate between Art and Humanities

Art comes from the Latin language ars which means skill or craft. It constitutes one of
the oldest and most important means of expression developed by human beings and
has been a part of every society across the globe. The arts represent an outlet of
human expression, usually influenced by culture, and driven by human creative impulse.
Major constituents of the arts include literature including poetry, novels and short
stories, and epics; performing arts among them music, dance, opera, theatre and film;
and visual arts including drawing, painting, and sculpting. Some art forms combine a
visual element with performance (e.g. film) and the written word (e.g. comics).
The term 'humanities' includes, but is not limited to, the study and interpretation of the
following: language, both modern and classical; linguistics; literature; history;
jurisprudence; philosophy; archaeology; comparative religion; ethics; the history,
criticism and theory of the arts; those aspects of social sciences which have humanistic
content and employ humanistic methods; and the study and application of the
humanities to the human environment with particular attention to reflecting our diverse
heritage, traditions, and history and to the relevance of the humanities to the current
conditions of national life.
That concludes, Arts is a medium of expression because through arts we express our
ideas, emotions, feelings. On the hand, humanities teach two vital things: critical
thinking and communication. Those studying within the Humanities learn to engage with
the material, think about it from a multitude of angles, problem solve creatively, and
adapt to different situations. These are highly sought-after skills in the business world.

The branches of Humanities

Anthropology

It involves the study of both past and present human cultures. It is associated with
physical and social characteristics of humanity through the study of historical and
present geographical distribution, acculturation, cultural history and cultural
relationships.
 Archeology

Archeology is the scientific study of past human culture and behavior, from the origins of
humans to the present. Archeology studies past human behavior through the
examination of material remains of previous human societies. These remains include
the fossils (preserved bones) of humans, food remains, the ruins of buildings, and
human artifacts.

History
The study of the past, with special attention to the written record of the activities of
human beings over time. It is a field of research which uses a narrative to examine and
analyze the sequence of events, and it often attempts to investigate objectively the
patterns of cause and effect that determine events.

Literature
The art of combining spoken or written words and their meanings into forms which have
artistic and emotional appeal.

Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters such
as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, law, justice, validity, mind and language. It is
described as the love of truth, wisdom and intelligence by its critical, generally
systematic approach and its reliance on reasoned argument.

Psychology
Psychology is the scientific study of the behavioral characteristics
of an individual, including the functions and processes of mind, in relation to the social
and physical environment. As a science, it gathers knowledge by carefully observing
and measuring events and experimenting. It is also an art because it develops skills in
applying scientific knowledge to problem solving

Sociology
Sociology is the study of human social behavior, especially the study of the origins,
organization, institutions, and development of human society.

Visual and Performing Arts

The visual arts are those that we perceive with our eyes. They may be classified into
two groups: graphic (flat or two-dimensional surface) and plastic arts (three-
dimensional)
What are its importance & scope of the study?

The humanities introduce us to people we have never met, places we have

never visited, and ideas that may have never crossed our minds. By showing how
others have lived and thought about life, the humanities help us decide what is
important in our own lives and what we can do to make them better. By connecting us
with other people, they point the way to answers about what is right or wrong, or what is
true to our heritage and our history. The humanities help us address the challenges we
face together in our families, our communities, and as a nation. Through Humanities, we
increase our respect for cultural and individual differences through knowledge of
achievements and of world civilization. Through Humanities, we gain a global
perspective through the knowledge of world cultures