Humanities

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Definition: A conception of what is artistically valid or beautiful in art, culture, or nature; the branch of philosophy that deals with the nature and expression of beauty Example: A film reviewer who explains why the new blockbuster movie relies too much on action and plot, and not enough on character development. .

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Definition: Designing controlled experiments, gathering data, and developing and testing hypotheses about the natural world Example: A biologist who conducts an experiment involving different plant species to test her hypothesis about optimal growth conditions.

Definition: The combination of thesis and antithesis which produces a new and higher level of truth. Part of the Hegelian dialectical process where a concept gives rise to its opposite, and as a result of this conflict, a new and third view, the synthesis, arises (according to German 19th century philosopher Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel). Example: One social scientist maintains that only the government can address systemic poverty (thesis); another social scientist argues that only the private sector can address systemic poverty (antithesis); a third social scientist combines their thinking and argues for public-private partnerships in addressing poverty (synthesis).

Definition: The study of the moral values of an individual, group, or culture Example: A theologian* A person who studies religious questions, such as the nature of God. studies the ethical implications of human cloning.

Definition: Thinking in a linear, step-by-step manner about ideas or problems; two important purposes of logic comprise

• understanding causality (cause-and-effect relationships) and
• identifying—and perhaps resolving—paradoxes, situations in which logical thought leads to two different answers

Example: An epidemiologist* A person who studies the incidence and prevalence of disease in large populations and the detection and causes of epidemics. who reviews the data on a given outbreak of a disease and traces it back to its origins.

Definition: A colorful, image-filled, metaphor-rich use of language to describe art or life Example: A writer or poet, such as Homer, who describes or explains using figurative language ("wine-dark sea"; "the ground is thirsty").

Definition: A spontaneous, unstructured, creative, passionate reaction Example: An opera-goer who responds emotionally, not rationally, and weeps as the leading lady sings her tragic aria* An aria is a long, accompanied song for a solo voice, typically found in an opera or oratorio. .