Stanley Fish has an Op-Ed in the NYTimes today on the what value can be found in studying the humanities. (answer: "none whatsoever")" Do the humanities ennoble? And for that matter, is it the business of the humanities, or of any other area of academic study, to save us?The answer in both cases, I think, is no...Teachers of literature and philosophy are competent in a subject, not in a ministry. It is not the business of the humanities to save us, no more than it is their business to bring revenue to a state or a university. What then do they do? They don’t do anything, if by “do” is meant bring about effects in the world. And if they don’t bring about effects in the world they cannot be justified except in relation to the pleasure they give to those who enjoy them."
All this time I thought I was "do"ing something that had an effect on the world. Oh well, Fish, you've always been the reader-response man. Short-sighted, in my opinion.
3 comments:
As Dr. Taylor told us at our wedding...getting married to another English major is about the best thing that can come from the degree. As such we are able to sit around and argue over the best translation of Dostoevsky's or why we think Greene is over-rated. We may not be saving the world, but it sure is entertaining when there is nothing on the telly.
He's just jealous. I save the world all the time.
charissa, i love your comment! i am a comparative literature graduate and a grad student in cultural studies. i personally believe in the power of words and thus believe that books can actually change the world, well at least in a micro perspective. but the thing is, that's where everything and all change starts, isn't it?! "the world" isn't sth that decides to change all of a sudden overnight, the people have to be transformed in order for that to happen and i do sincerely believe that literature is a great way of changing people and thus "changing the world"!
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