Homework: Humanities Essay
For this homework, I ask that you interview someone who is different than you.
In an Attempt at Discovering the ‘Truth' and ‘Otherness' of others
Wallace Bacon, a recipient of an honorary doctorate from Emerson College in 1975, wrote that the liberal arts, or humanities, "are concerned with the question of what makes life worth living. And that question concerns not simply oneself but others. The humanities must help us learn who we are; they must help us learn the otherness of others."
In this light, describe an encounter with someone or something different-an "other" which revealed to you your sense of self and your relation to humanity on a grand scale. This encounter will involve talking and learning about another human.
You are asked to write a 4 to 5, pages paper on your encounter with someone different, someone outside your everyday life or culture. To accomplish this I ask that you interview someone from a different background than your own. This could mean that they practice another religion than you or that they are from a different culture or country. In your interview you will be asking them the big questions about life that we have been examining over the months together, questions like; what is love? What happens to us when we die? What is happiness?... Your questions and their answers will compose the body of the paper and then I ask that you also include an introduction to the homework as well as a conclusion/ reflection of this homework.
I understand that this paper may be challenging to some of you but don't be afraid to use your creativity and imagination and branch out. Maybe you could use this homework as a tool to finally talk to someone at your job that you have always been curious about. The topic is broad on purpose to get you thinking about humanity on a grand scale, your role in it and getting closer to the 'truth'.
Format your homework according to the following formatting requirements:
o The answer should be typed, using Times New Roman font (size 12), double spaced, with one-inch margins on all sides.
o The response also includes a cover page containing the title of the homework, the student's name, the course title, and the date. The cover page is not included in the required page length.
o Also include a reference page. The Citations and references must follow APA format. The reference page is not included in the required page length.