The Heart of the Matter: The Role of Humanities

In 2010, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences created a Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences to address the importance of the humanities in the 21st century. The result is the Commission’s report, The Heart of the Matter. The report’s companion seven-minute film offers perspective about the role of the humanities in creating “a more civil public discourse, a more adaptable and creative workforce, and a more secure nation.”

Within this short film produced by the American Academy on Arts & Sciences, the humanities are likened to the blossom of a flower, without which the stem is essentially useless. “The sciences are the ‘how,’ its how humans do things. And the humanities is ‘why’ we do things.” The humanities allow us to embrace the world in a meaningful way. To learn more watch The Heart of the Matter: The Role of Humanities.

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