Prompt: PART 1: During historicizes the term “humanities” in order to arrive at a suitable definition. By discussing what the humanities were, he attempts to describe what the contemporary field (or set of disciplines, or objects of study, etc.) is. Bod et al also work toward a definition of the subject whose history they set out to write. For this post, think about how you would describe the humanities to someone outside this area (how this field is different from, say, the social sciences or natural or physical sciences) AND think about the part of During’s or Bod’s articles that best helps you do this. Feel free to discuss parts of the article that muddy things for you, too. Which ideas might benefit from a little ventilation in class discussion? PART 2: Your annotations and work in Part 1 lay the groundwork for this activity, so this is a short one. Focus on “Projects” (p. 25) in Harris and write a paragraph that “expresses your understanding of [During’s and/or Bod’s] project.” Harris wants you to paraphrase and use at least one direct quotation. Makes sense. Since you’re reading two attempts to define the humanities, consider finding passages to make a text-text connection between the two pieces, and/or use one piece to note differences between the two projects: how does reading one article clarify what the other is trying to do?

Part 1: There isn’t one true definition for what the humanities are, as the term “humanities” denotes different subjects in multiple different countries. With an American point of view, I consider humanities to be the study of subjects that enhance our worldview while also leaving room for various interpretations of evidence, whether that be from historical and cultural studies, or from primary sources like literature or art. As During says, “there is no “idea of the humanities”. There is instead a humanities world: a loosely linked conglomeration of practices, interests, comportments, personae, moods, purposes, and values, and the various settings which these practices, interests, and so on inhabit” (During, 2). This is evident in the inconsistencies regarding the humanities throughout the world. Bod gives multiple examples of the humanities on a global scale, from a Westernized viewpoint to Islamic scholarship and Chinese practices (Bod, 3-4). Considering the multiple definitions and viewpoints regarding what the humanities truly are and what they encapsulate, I think that there isn’t a correct definition, or rather, all definitions are correct. It makes me wonder about the scope of how interdisciplinary the humanities are. If the humanities are interdisciplinary, is there a point where we have draw a line between it and social/natural/physical sciences or is there a way that humanities can be all-encompassing?

Part 2: Both the During and Bod pieces insinuate that there is no true definition of the humanities. However, where as During takes a broad approach to the humanities, Bod discusses cultural differences in how we attempt to define it. One of During’s attempted definitions states, “We must allow that the humanities can potentially focus on anything at all: things, texts, actions, performances, natural forces, individuals, animals, concepts, artworks, moods, money, beliefs, social structures, and so on” (During, 4). The claim that anything can be considered a part of the humanities is something that Bod touches upon, though not as explicitly. Bod attempts to ground the reader through Wilhelm Dilthey’s definition of the humanities, “Rather than explaining (erklaren) the world in terms of countable and measurable regularities, the humanities attempt to understand (verstehen) the intentions of historical actors; the specific objects investigated by the humanities are “the expressions of the human mind” (Bod, 3). After this grounding, Bod discusses the concept of humanities, especially from areas outside of Europe and America. Similar to the definition posed by During above, Bod’s recounting of humanities in a cultural/global context supports the idea that the focus of the humanities can be “anything at all”.