Life is full of chapters of tragedies and comedies. Modern people enlighten themselves in the sketches of joy in comedies and despairs in tragedies. They wipe out tears with laughter and wash away laughter with tears. This whole picture of the sketches is called ‘humanities.’ Since just a few years ago, trend of the humanities hit bookstores all of a sudden. Although in the midst of double-sided air of disregard in literature, history, and philosophy of universities, revival of the humanities had a great meaning sociologically. In the middle of that, there were ‘people.’ In the development of civilization, selfishness of individuals showed us man’s greed toward the world. Society without magnanimity brought disappearance of communication. People who were tired of logic of competence searched of the ‘people’ itself. It is about learning the past and preparing the future through stories about people’s lives. As a result, the humanities regained its spotlight in crisis.

 

Bacchaloreat, convergence of consilience and humanities

 

The humanities is a study of people. They contain footprints and thoughts of mankind. However, independent existence of the humanities cannot separate itself from imitation of the past. If the 20th century was the era of professional knowledge, 21st century is the era of consilience. The humanities is on the same line. Natural sciences can make the humanities shine brighter, and the humanities can blossom when it meets arts. Crossing between studies becomes freer. Various topics are newly suggested. The basis of consilience is communication. A society where anyone can advance an opinion freely and be respected is the society of consilience.

 

The nation which is in the head of the track is France. The essay questions of French college entrance qualification test, Bacchaloreat, is the place of blooming knowledge for all the citizens. From the president to the general majority, the topic is discussed enthusiastically. Bacchaloreat, which implements absolute evaluation, gives us quite a shock, us who are accustomed to finding exact answers of given questions.

 

Branches of Bacchaloreat are divided into literature, social sciences, and natural sciences. Here are the examples of questions.

 

Literature: Does science stop in discovering facts?
Social Sciences: Can we talk about something even when we don’t know exactly about it?
Natural Sciences: Do we realize who we are by working?

 

First, in literature test, Bacchaloreat asks the existence of science. This is not out of sense if you have noticed a great number of literary works of Bernard Werber are created upon imagination based on common scientific knowledge. Secondly, it involves philosophical theory in social sciences to apply in social reality. Lastly, the natural science branch of Bacchaloreat estimates the essence of existence with logical and philosophical approach. Simple literary imagination won’t be enough to solve the questions. Carrying only well-rounded information of current affairs will not be enough to solve the questions. Capability of having a command of perfectly logical thinking will not help much in the case either. It should be approached with literature, sociology, and logics based on philosophy altogether.

 

The reason for France being the country of philosophy and discussions is Bacchaloreat. And consilience. Natural non-subject-limited thought process bore the skepticism of existence by Camus, and became the creativity of Picasso. It became confidence of Stephane Hessel and Émile François Zola. Plus, it made a great many French citizens autonomous. ‘Tolérance,’ which covers various political ideologies from far left wing to far right wing and freedom of religion and race are also in the questions of Bacchaloreat. There are neither specific subjects nor framed answers. Only natural diversity of thoughts and logical approaches exist.

 

Where are the Korean humanities now?

 

Unlike the boom of the humanities in bookstores, reality of the humanities is cold. The humanities is picked as number one scapegoat in consolidation of majors. It is because of the cognition that humanities major doesn’t make its graduates earn much is strong. However, the statement that the humanities are incompetent study overlooks the hidden value of consilience within the humanities. Fragmentation of subjects in middle and high school education is the atrocious proof. World-only backward education system that separates natural sciences and liberal arts created a wall between social studies and natural sciences.

 

Korean education denies practical approach and only instills theories. Limitation of studies that are aimed for paper tests that measures how much students memorized shows the reality that doesn't even contain basics of studies, not to mention consilience. There are no humanities in our educational world any longer. They are dead studies. The reality that poses antipodes of studies made it impossible for consilience between studies to achieve synergy.

 

Eventually, we are trapped in the mold of framed studies while contradictorily showing off the highest academic achievement in the world. Stagnant growth of knowledge will come up as consequence of the dead study. Standardized education causes the general society to become inflexible. People become insensible to other people. Communication fades. Discussions recede and the public becomes ignorant. So ironically, they rather put emphasis on the humanities. But it is doubtful whether standardized humanities can work as a solution to problems of the society.

 

The utopia we dream of is where common sense prevails. Our current society lacks respect for different thoughts and comprehension of diversity. In the midst of it, there is absence of understanding the humanities. Younger generation is losing the true meaning of the humanities in the standardized education. Extension of studies through consilience is a distant path. Therefore, spirit of Bacchaloreat leaves a big implication to us. Background information needed to develop one’s logic is not achieved with just one professional area. Each opinion of each person shows the differences in thinking. Discussions to persuade each other are based on understanding. The question Bacchaloreat is proposing is the spirit of the era in our society.

 

 

Dae-Ok Kwon (DGHS student) and Jong-Seo Park (DG editor-in-chief)