Opinion | The Importance of the Humanities in the Age of Technology

As we delve further into the age of technology, the humanities, including fields like English literature, are being left behind. Students are increasingly drawn to the more practical worlds of tech and science, leaving the humanities struggling to find relevance. However, just at this moment, when technological advancements like Artificial Intelligence are taking over the world, we need the humanities more than ever.

With A.I. becoming increasingly prominent, we need thoughtful English majors to help us sort out the ethical and philosophical issues it raises. We need the humanities to help us think in nontechnical terms, rather than relying solely on technologists to tell us what is right and wrong.

As Elon Musk noted, we cannot simply trust the engineers and capitalists to make the right decisions when it comes to A.I. Without the assistance of the humanities, we risk losing sight of what it means to be human in a world dominated by technology.

Unfortunately, the humanities are in decline. Some universities are phasing out majors like English, history, art, philosophy, and sociology, while others are dropping requirements like the poetry requirement for an English degree. This is a worrying trend, as the humanities are essential to helping us understand ourselves and the world around us.

It is not just the humanities that are being endangered, but our humaneness as well. As we become more and more reliant on technology, we risk losing the principles of dignity, civility, patience, respect, tolerance, goodness, sympathy, and empathy that make us human.

In conclusion, it is important that we recognize the value of the humanities in the age of technology. We cannot afford to lose sight of our humanity as we continue to advance technologically. The humanities are needed now more than ever to help us navigate the intricacies of a rapidly evolving world.