Can the Humanities Help Us Find Middle Ground? The Latin root of the word humanities is humanus, which means culture — it’s what makes us artistic, conversational, inventive, law-abiding, and thoughtful; civilized. Those who examine human culture desire to understand assiduously, believing that no topic should go unaddressed and no person unconsidered. Understanding then leads to acceptance, empathy and compromise. Can you think of a time when the need to find mutual understanding is more dire than it is today?
By Jenna Blyler
For more than 20 years, Jacksonville University’s Philosophy Slams have been an intrinsic part of the University’s liberal arts education and a forum for members of the campus community to engage in civil discourse.
Each semester, through moderated debate, the slams unpack the complex and contentious topics of contemporary concern. First, a field expert delivers a brief speech on a relevant topic, and then the audience responds with what they think. People of all backgrounds lineup to share their thoughts and respond to others’ positions.
Jacksonville University Professor of Philosophy and Chair of the School of Humanities Dr. Scott Kimbrough explains that “the goal of the Philosophy Slams is to generate thoughtful discussion of controversial issues in a relaxed atmosphere where people feel comfortable sharing opinions, asking questions, and confronting disagreement. While the atmosphere is informal, it takes courage for some to take the microphone and have their say. The Slams help people stand up and find their voices.”
In the past year, the topics of the slams explored addressed balancing the costs and benefits of long-term financial decisions to address issues such as climate change, the war over history and civics education in Florida, and the ethics of seduction. Upcoming Slams will cover the ideas around how we define equity vs. equality and whether we know ourselves better than others do.
“People increasingly confine themselves to bubbles where everyone agrees with each other and usually misrepresents opposing views. Open discussion in an intimate setting confronts people with the humanity of those who disagree with them,” said Kimbrough. “To me, it’s a moral problem of the first order that our society has become so thoroughly polarized, which happens when people don’t have to confront their peers directly in discussion. Most people can get along once they have a chance to sit down and talk. Even when they don't reach an agreement, they can usually get mutual respect.”
These events demonstrate how the humanities curate critical thought and confidence — skills that have practical applications in any field. The interpretive abilities honed through philosophy, literature and communication can be usefully applied in areas like business, law and medicine, where making nuanced ethical judgments is crucial.
Critical thinking is characterized by clarity, reason and reflection, with a focus on making informed decisions about what to believe or how to act. It entails the skill of asking astute questions such as “How did we get to this conclusion?” or “Does this hold true universally or only in specific cases?” It involves adopting a skeptical mindset and actively challenging assumptions, rather than simply memorizing facts or unquestioningly accepting information at face value. The slams are therefore a place where participants attentively identify their position, prepare a logical argument that addresses alternative views, and defend their stance. Participants distinguish between good and bad reasoning and are exposed to the humanness of bias and quick judgments that influence our decision-making.
Polarity doesn’t just express ideological extremes in politics and morality, but also in language. The words we choose can have negative or positive implications, and, if we are not careful, we can inadvertently frame a situation or argument how we presume it, which may not always be productive or accurate. Being mindful of issue framing keeps individuals aware of their own persuasions, allows them to analyze subtleties and helps them present in a balanced manner.
“When people of differing viewpoints come together in a reflective environment, polarities immediately soften," said Kimbrough. "The ideological homogeneity and hostile rhetoric typical of online forums have no place at the Slams, where the humanity and intelligence of the other person cannot be easily dismissed. After listening to another person speaking with sincerity and goodwill, it’s much harder to be hardened and dismissive of their point of view. So while discussion doesn’t always bring about agreement, it often broadens the sense of mutual respect and community that diverse societies like ours need to keep the social fabric from unraveling.”
Humus is the Latin root word describing both humans and humility. It means to be grounded or near the earth. Every person walks through life with a set of assumptions and values that they are constantly testing against the world. What’s acceptable? What should I think about this? If we’re really listening, really engaging, respectful, civil discussion will always teach us something and help us find a middle ground and an appreciation for our shared humanity.