Siena Educación organizes the First Ibero-American Meeting of Humanities Teachers"Beauty," an essay by Roger Scruton.Let's set the scene. We are in the heart of the ancient city of Thebes, under a relentless sun. A defiant young woman confronts her king's order and goes in search of her brother's corpse to bury him. Her name is Antigone, a beacon of unwavering moral conviction at the crossroads of personal duty and the law of the state, the sacred and the profane. Her brother Polynices had been murdered in the struggle for power, and her kinsman, King Creon, has issued a decree that his body should remain unburied as a warning to traitors. However, Antigone, moved by love and divine law, defies the decree and comes to bury her brother, accepting the fatal consequences that follow.
This is a tragedy, literally. This haunting narrative of individual conscience rebelling against unjust rules resonates through the centuries. It comes to us in versions, translations and adaptations. It is a classic that has touched something in the human heart, shedding light on our journey as we struggle with our contemporary conflicts.
In today's rapidly changing world, accelerated by technology, we, like Antigone, find ourselves at a crossroads where our rich humanistic traditions are threatened with oblivion, their value unrecognized, like Polynices left unburied on the battlefield. The Humanities are dead and it is up to us to bury them. Or are we facing a new Renaissance?
Eliminating Humanities
In recent decades we have seen the trend to remove access to the humanities and a huge tradition from education (formal or informal). What are these humanistic traditions? They are the collective wisdom of humanity encapsulated in the humanities-literature, culture, language, philosophy-that are at risk of being marginalized in our race toward a technology-dominated future. The King Creon of our times is the dominant narrative that dismisses the humanities as impractical and irrelevant in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and data science.
A common reaction has been to "rescue" the humanities by arguing that "beauty is useless". We take it for granted that philosophy, literature and art are not capable of adding value to the bottom line, but we sense that they have a value of their own. But perhaps this attitude has been the final straw, the last nail in the coffin of tradition. A "silver lifeline" that, while flattering the beauty of the humanities, discards them for the world of the real.
"Death craves the same rites for everyone," lamented Antigone to her sister Ismene. This poignant statement resonates with the predicament of the humanities today, faced with the growth of silicone intelligence.
There is a belief, more or less explicit, that advances in artificial intelligence can and should replace the study of the humanities. Are we then faced with the tragedy and moral duty to bury the humanities? Or are we, instead, immersed in an epic adventure?
Artificial intelligence and Latin
Consider Latin, the once rich and vibrant language of an entire civilization (and part of others). It has been reduced to mere etymology and is in danger of being forgotten. This struggle mirrors Antigone's conflict against the severe edict of King Creon. Yet she remained unperturbed, defying Creon by asking, "Can anyone live, as I live, with evil all around me, to think that death is less than a friend?"
To extend this analogy to our modern context, we are facing our own cultural Creon: the rejection of the humanities in the face of the rapid advance of the humanities. artificial intelligence and technology. The prevailing culture leads us to oppose the humanities to technology. But in doing so, we risk losing the essence of our humanity, which is deeply embedded in our traditional languages and cultural wisdom in coalition with technology. It is not for nothing that the Greek word "techne" translates in Latin as "ars". Art and technique are in the humanistic vision one and the same thing.
Pragmatic humanities
The challenge before us is to find a harmony, to make visible the advantages of a coalition of humanities and technology. We could propose a "Pragmatic Humanities", a concept that transforms the humanities from being perceived as merely "beautiful but useless" to being just the resource that makes us masters of our future in the context of artificial intelligence.
This concept is not just a theoretical proposal. The growth of humanistic studies in the 21st century is a reality. There are recently created institutions that are already benefiting from this growing interest in the humanities: the Polis Institute in Jerusalem, the Paideia Institute in New York, the Caelvm in Madrid, and the Latinitas Project in Oxford. At the same time, the application of humanistic knowledge in the world of entrepreneurship, technology, and business opens the door to practical humanities with great potential.
For example, knowledge of linguistics and literature is a great help in branding and naming. A deeper understanding of Latin syntax and structure can improve coding skills, helping programmers generate better results. From Aristotle's Poetics to contemporary films and novels, the tradition of storytelling offers a wealth of knowledge that is invaluable for creating compelling narratives in any medium, be it a marketing campaign or a screenplay.
Similarly, the story of Antigone, rich in human motivations and emotional depth, provides insights into the human condition that can enhance empathy, a critical skill in areas as diverse as psychology, leadership and even AI.
In the face of the growth of artificial intelligence, it is appropriate to boost human intelligence: the humanities, in their most pragmatic version. In this way, we demonstrate that the wisdom codified in our humanistic traditions can offer practical solutions to contemporary problems.
The renaissance of the humanities
Let us recall Antigone's poignant declaration: "I was born to unite in love, not in hate". These words resonate with our mission to reconnect with our intellectual heritage, to rekindle our 'love' for the humanities and affirm their importance in today's world. As the tragic story of Antigone continues to echo down the centuries, let it inspire us to affirm the intrinsic value of the humanities and embrace the renaissance that awaits us.
To conclude: 3 things we can do this summer to increase our level of practical Humanism:
- Reading a classic: the work of Antigone (Sophocles) can be read in 2 hours. Aristotle's "Poetics", which is the basis for contemporary Storytelling, in less time.
- Start learning Latin. There are many simple resources for connecting with the language. For example, reading Hans Orberg's book "Roman Family" little by little is a great start.
- Locate the nearest humanistic pole. Surrounding yourself with people who promote the humanities is essential; look for people with these interests around you, the world is a small world.
