Just a question from an ignorant STEM student:
How can I study humanities? I'm used to make repeated lists of exercises in order to learn mathematics or programming and etc, but what is the method used by humanities students? what method can I use in order to, for example, fully understand a philosophy/history book?
Live your life and read and absorb deep shit
But what should I do
Should I read the book first, and then read it again but taking notes (or use any x method instead like a resume etc)
Take non-degree seeking classes later in life after spending your free time reading. Honestly at this point in my life (soon to graduate with a humanities degree), I envy those who went into STEM or even trade school. My only real option is law school, unless I decided to apprentice in carpentry or some shit, but I will say that studying philosophy at a college level was worthwhile on a purely intellectual standard. I wish everyone could have that experience, but it unfortunately is not something that necessitates material success. Make the most of the opportunities that you degree will afford you, and spend a lot of time at your local library, chatting with the students in philosophy and history if you have the chance. Hopefully some day you'll have the leisure and the wealth to pursue some form of strict education in the humanities, but make the most of your talents now.
Read it and discuss it amongst those who know the work better than yourself. Take notes if that's a useful tool for you to garner a greater understanding of the text.
Thanks for your advice, and it made me seriously consider graduating in a humanities degree later in life
If you need a list, look here for Veeky Forums approved literature
The best place to start are the areas of humanities which you are most genuinely interested in. Do you prefer nitty gritty details or sweeping narratives? Will you confine yourself to studies of your own culture, or are there other cultures which you are interested in? Do you prefer talking about things like the behavior of people (expressed in disciplines like sociology, religion, linguistics etc) or the behavior of large groups of people (civic history, military history, etc). Just be honest with yourself and stay curious
This is the most autistic question ive seen in a while
sorry
Just read
Writing down notes only helps if you're gonna need it later for reference
>humanities
>method
>studying
Pick exp(0).
Actually there is no disconnect between "stem" and "humanities". Only tribals try to create these distinctions to further a culture war.
There are better or worse ways to read non-fiction, yes
t.Mortimer J. Adler
Read a book that interests you.
Read books that book references and books that reference that book. Keep going. Annotation is only necessary if you're going to write papers.
Dont be a fuckin robot
Im a stem student too. I know how that lifestyle fucks with the way you think
If you want to get into the humanities find a topoc you like and immerse yourself in it. Understand it. And from there see how it connects to other things.
Just act smug and pretend to know what you're talking about.
only thing hard about history or most humanities is the papers. I feel like the writing is pretty difficult to learn after not taking English classes and the only writing I do is from lab reports. The rest is pretty easy relatively speaking. Some higher level history classes have LOTS of reading and some of the driest shit i've ever read. Good thing its not really tested on though but I guess this depends on the teacher. It won't be like physics or chem or any thing hard like that though.
Consuming and educating yourself on Western Canon seems to be a pretty popular suggestion amongst the wizards on our beloved website
Find material that interests you and form opinions based on that knowledge. Then find people who disagree with you and talk to them. Evaluate your positions based on more research rinse and repeat
start with the greeks
Depends on the topic, really. What from the humanities do you want to learn? Just a general overview? Perhaps something related to your own field of study?
A young, fresh and cherry STEM student walks into the halls of a sterile English department with his head held high. Stern and with a proud heave, he bellows through the cavern at the beanie-sporters scattered through the hall:
"WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER STUDY, HEATHENS?"
Seven fragrant dreadlocked beards spew coffee from their continental gullets. Free-range hens shuffle out a window somewhere.
"WORDS ON A PAGE OR THE FUCKING COSMOS?"
An emergency evacuation is called. Afghan clogs stuff the exit. Native tears are shed. A triad of cauldrons full to brim with boiling kamquat loose their bellies with a fever on the frantic patrons all around. The shelves are raided. Looters stuffing oriental knapsacks leave no kitsch untouched.
From the roaring depths of chaos in the halls, through sheets of stirring fire: calm and rigid comes up looming in the haze a stoic English professor, tailored suit to keen perfection, forty thousand pages full of Marx and further reading in an unstained palm.
Expressionless, with firm phenomenologic hold on mind and body, he whispers to the STEM student, currently engaged in evil laughter:
"What would you rather study, child?"
The student was hushed. Voiceless. The man has snared his subjectivity entirely.
"Nature - or the nature of nature?"
Of an instant all the place is silent. In the corner, captive underneath the groins of several existential theists, one brave soul begins to clap. Soon the place is flooded with cheer.
The next day, all sciences were cancelled nationwide. The shells of disenfranchised rockets sheltered lonely bohemians everywhere. All was well.
You simply make up shit. There is no "understanding" in humanities.
Find time period of history you really like. Download all related books related to it. After checking book after book you will find a good author you will like. Than read his works. Or just visit Veeky Forums everyday and wikipedia anyone or anything you dont know about.
Start with the Mesopotamians.
Started with Oxford and Cambridge compendia on topics you are interested in. They will recommend authors/books you can read afterwards.
This is the easiest way to figure out what the research consensus is and where there are heated debate.
Every other approach is highly unsystematic if not random.
Memorize.
And if you teacher wants to indoctrinate you just told she what she wants to listen. This happen a lot in humanities since there are massive Marxist bias.
Just read the books at your leisure, if you want check out if there are any lectures where you can just go, sit and listen.
>implying
Just read. Humanities is ez mode.
t. Engenieer
The most important difference between reading in your free time and reading seriously is that you need to write while you are reading. Take notes, uses zotero, formulate questions etc. but you need to write during the course of reading. The fact that no one here pointed that out is crazy. Normal people can't remember the 50-60 books they gotta read per year without writing something down.