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1.1: Introduction

  • Page ID
    88995
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    Welcome to Introduction to Humanities! I'm excited to begin this journey with you. In the past, I have taught this class as a 'typical' Introduction to Humanities class. We took a look at western philosophers, maybe a few of the world religions, a history of western music and western visual arts. I expanded it a little for a few years. This textbook begins to break down the barriers of limiting ourselves to learning primarily about western humanities. The question "What makes us human?" can't be answered by looking at only one tradition.

    Because in this class, we will be searching for answers for what it means to be human, I'm recommending that each time to you begin, you start with a few moments of mindfulness. Prepare to learn. Prepare to think and feel. Here is a short exercise to begin.

    Take a few moments to settle and ground your attention. Take a few breaths, feel your body on the chair, notice whatever is present in your mind and allow yourself to arrive fully to the moment at hand. If you're feeling unsettled or preoccupied, you might place your hand on your heart in a supportive and comforting way as if to say "I'm here for you. It's ok to feel how you feel at this moment."

    Name 5 things you can see

    • Name 4 things you can touch
    • Name 3 things you can hear
    • Name 2 things you can smell
    • Name 1 thing you can touch

    Take one minute add one thing you're grateful for to Gratitude Wall in Menti.

    Menti.com (Your instructor will give you a code.)

    After each time you work on this class, whether you're working along or with the class, end with a mindful moment: What have you learned? What have you accomplished? Write these down. They will become part of your reflective journal. Describe your experience - What did I do/hear/see? 2. Interpret and evaluate the events from your perspective - What do I think about it now? How does it relate to other things that I know? 3. Explain your experience; reveal your new insights, connections with other learning, your hypotheses, and your conclusions. 4. Reflect on how this information will be useful to you - What questions do I have? Have I changed how I think about the situation? Where do I go from here?


    This page titled 1.1: Introduction is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Lori-Beth Larsen via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.