The value of the humanities / Helen Small.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Small, Helen.

Series:

[The Literary agenda series]

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Humanities--Study and teaching (Higher).

Humanities.

Education, Humanistic.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (213 pages)

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2013.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

'The Value of the Humanities' provides a critical account of the principal arguments used to defend the value of the humanities.

The Value of the Humanities provides a critical account of the principal arguments used to defend the value of the Humanities. The claims considered are: that the Humanities study the meaning-making practices of culture, and bring to their work a distinctive understanding of what constitutes knowledge and understanding; that, though useful to society in many ways, they remain laudably at odds with, or at a remove from, instrumental use value; that they contribute to human happiness; that they are a force for democracy; and that they are a good in themselves, to be valued 'for their own sake'. Engaging closely with contemporary literary and philosophical work in the field from the UK and US, Helen Small distinguishes between arguments that retain strong Victorian roots (Mill on happiness; Arnold on use value) and those that have developed or been substantially altered since. Unlike many works in this field, The Value of the Humanities is not a polemic or a manifesto. Its purpose is to explore the grounds for each argument, and to test its validity for the present day. Tough-minded, alert to changing historical conditions for argument and changing styles of rhetoric, it promises to sharpen the terms of the public debate.

Contents:

1. Distinction from Other Disciplines

2. Use and Usefulness

3. Socrates Dissatisfied: The Argument for a Contribution to Happiness

4. 'Democracy Needs Us': The Gadfly Argument for the Humanities

5. For its Own Sake

Conclusion: On Public Value.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

0-19-872805-0

0-19-150679-6

OCLC:

868923904