| The term 'humanities' is subject to a wide range of definitions and interpretations. This conceptual problem leads to operational problems when it becomes apparent that there is little consistency as to what content is delivered under the auspices of humanities. This confused state of affairs creates difficulties for administrators, policy makers, and curriculum planners who may not have the necessary information or awareness to make enlightened decisions. The problem is particularly acute in the context of community colleges, with their typically broad based mission statements and diverse clientele.;This study is a philosophical analysis which attempts to clarify meanings and analyzes what is being presented as humanities, using the general/introductory humanities course as a microcosm reflective of the larger curriculum. The objectives of the study are threefold: (1) to trace, through a literature study, the development of the idea of humanities; (2) to analyze, using ordinary language analysis, the concept of humanities; and (3) to determine, using comparative analysis, the content, disciplines, and sub-disciplines which comprise general humanities courses.;The results of the study indicated that three general conceptions of the humanities may be formulated. These three senses or dimensions of the humanities encompassed all the various uses of the term both in historical and contemporary literature. The three themes of the humanities which formed the analytic framework for the study are as follows: (1) the humanities as discipline oriented, as bodies of knowledge to be mastered; (2) the humanities as process oriented, as ways of approaching problem solving, critical thinking, and aesthetic judgment; and (3) the humanities as self oriented, as a way of looking at the world in terms of human values and experience.;The three themes were present in varying degrees in the general humanities course offerings of the colleges in the Illinois system. Furthermore, the analysis upheld the supposition of ambiguity, inconsistency, and conceptual confusion surrounding perceptions of what appropriately constitutes humanities studies. Finally, it was shown that there is great diversity among institutions offering general humanities courses and that such diversity may be construed either as a strength or a weakness. Conceptual confusion surrounding the humanities, if left unexamined, is indeed a source of weakness. But the diversity which underlies the confusion, properly analyzed and channeled, can be a source of strength and vitality for the community colleges of Illinois. |
