1	Humanities I: An Introduction Lecture #1 Studying the Humanities What kind of course is this? What’s next?
2	Welcome to Humanities I On-Line Most lectures will be slide-shows like this one (although future lectures will include more images, graphics, and even a few special effects)
3	What is this class? Humanities I: “A chronological survey of humanity through a cross-disciplinary study of humanity’s ideas, discoveries, and creative achievements from the pre-history through the medieval period” (RSU Bulletin, p. 238). Humanities II covers “the Renaissance through the modern period.”
4	Studying the Humanities ‘Humanities’ is itself a Renaissance term In the 14th century, Italian scholars had a renewed interest in the classical literature, i.e., Greek and Latin literature They described this new learning as ‘studia humanitatis,’ humanistic studies This included moral philosophy, history, rhetoric, and poetry
5	Studying the Humanities For a thousand years before, the authority of the Christian Church and the study of theology had dominated education-- and intellectual life in general But for these humanists, the answers to many traditional questions could be found in Greek and Latin texts, rather than Christian ones
6	Studying the Humanities These humanists were at the center of the Renaissance, or ‘rebirth’, the artistic, cultural and intellectual movement which often marks the beginning of the modern era Today, the study of the humanities includes religion and music as well as history, philosophy, literature, and art
7	Studying the Humanities In short, this course studies the whole of human achievement… from the perspective, however, of modern Western society
8	Humanities I In some sense, this is the story of the two most significant influences on modern Western society The classical tradition, the culture and values of the Greeks and Romans The Judeo-Christian tradition, the culture and values of Western Christianity
9	Humanities I Our course, Humanities I, is divided into two basic parts: The first covers the prehistory of humanity to the rise of Judaism and Christianity, focusing on the classical cultures of the Greeks and the Romans The second covers the rise of Judaism and Christianity to the end of the medieval period, focusing on the centrality of religion in medieval cultures
10	Our Textbook: Culture and Values Your most important resource in this course is our textbook, Culture and Values “In studying the humanities, our attention is focused on works of art in the broadest sense, works that reflect and embody the central values and beliefs of particular cultures and specific historical moments” (from another text…).
11	Our Textbook: Culture and Values We study “masterpieces” What is a masterpiece? “the product of human invention and human genius” (p. xvii) “its very existence sums up the best of a certain age” (p. xvii) What are some of the masterpieces of our age?
12	What kind of course is this? Note that this is not an art history course Although art is important for its own sake, and we will spend a good deal of time studying the visual arts in particular (painting, sculpture, etc.), we are interested more in what that art reveals about various cultures and ways of life
13	What kind of course is this? This is also not a philosophy or a religion course Again, we will spend much of our time studying the philosophy and religion of particular cultures, but always with an eye on the ‘big picture’- the whole history of various cultures, their works of art and literature as well as their values and beliefs
14	Analyzing Art Essential to this study of the humanities is the ability to analyze art Whether painting, music, or literature, we need to know the basics of various genres or kinds of art A good place to begin is your textbook: the introduction supplies what you need to know
15	Values and Beliefs Finally, it is important to realize that a course like this one often deals with challenging, controversial, and perhaps even disturbing opinions and beliefs In studying the cultures and religions of the past, we often encounter views different from our own
16	Values and Beliefs Every one of us must be respectful of each other’s beliefs, just as we study those of other cultures and civilizations
17	Looking Ahead If you have not already done so, read the introduction (p. xvii-xxiii) Note that the lectures are not a substitute for the text-book
18	Looking Ahead The chapters and readings provide background information, the basics The lectures focus on a few significant works of literature, art, or philosophy The text and the lectures together form the basis for our discussions and assignments
19	Looking Ahead Good luck, and I hope you enjoy the course!