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Why Engineering Freshmen Should Take Humanities Courses

Lasrick sends in an article from John Horgan at Scientific American explaining why he thinks engineering freshmen should make a bit of space in their course-load for the humanities. Quoting: "But it is precisely because science is so powerful that we need the humanities now more than ever. In your science, mathematics and engineering classes, you're given facts, answers, knowledge, truth. Your professors say, 'This is how things are.' They give you certainty. The humanities, at least the way I teach them, give you uncertainty, doubt and skepticism. The humanities are subversive. They undermine the claims of all authorities, whether political, religious or scientific. This skepticism is especially important when it comes to claims about humanity, about what we are, where we came from, and even what we can be and should be. Science has replaced religion as our main source of answers to these questions. Science has told us a lot about ourselves, and we’re learning more every day. But the humanities remind us that we have an enormous capacity for deluding ourselves."

6 of 564 comments (clear)

  1. Re:As an engineering student by Chrisq · · Score: 2, Funny

    I was always taught the opposite...

    Are you in the faculty of contradiction?

  2. Re:Oh, gag me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    but they do introduce Engineers mainly male engineers to to girls something that normally dosnt happen much briefly.

  3. Re:Oh, gag me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    but they do introduce Engineers mainly male engineers to to girls something that normally dosnt happen much briefly.

    If by girl you mean a female body with an empty head that acts like a flower pot, you might have a point.

  4. Re:Oh, gag me. by JustOK · · Score: 4, Funny

    and spelling. Spelling courses are emportant.

    --
    rewriting history since 2109
  5. Re:Oh, gag me. by excitedidiot · · Score: 3, Funny

    And pedantic courses. Our children our the future, and I don't want to live in a world without smug jerks correcting the common usage of words.

  6. Re:Oh, gag me. by ebno-10db · · Score: 3, Funny

    but they do introduce Engineers mainly male engineers to to girls

    As someone who graduated from a technical university, I have one question: what's a "girl"?