The Human Sciences Essay Example

The Human Sciences Essay Human behavior makes most sense when it is explained in terms of beliefs and desires, not in terms of volts and grams (Steven Pinker, 1954-). As Pinker correctly said, humans are characterized by their beliefs and opinions. Many people say that they try to and succeed in maintaining an unprejudiced outlook on daily life. However, in the attempt of being unbiased with their beliefs and conclusions, all humans fail dismally. All things that reside in a persons mind are subjective, and thus loaded with belief. According to the Oxford School Dictionary, a belief is a view or judgment of something not necessarily based on fact or knowledge, and a bias is prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair. If we accept these definitions to be true, then it concludes that it is impossible to have a belief that is unbiased. If one believes something, one has made a judgment of that thing, and thus is biased by that judgment. A belief is, by its very definition, a bias. A person may not have a specific bias for or against an issue, but he or she does have several previously formed beliefs that will lead to the formation of an opinion on that issue. Human scientists are no different. Frequently, while searching for trends in and attempting to define human behavior, scientists draw conclusions that are almost unknowingly laden with biased beliefs. In my opinion, every person, including human scientists, has fallen prey to the confirmation bias, the belief bias, and the prison of consistency while drawing a conclusion that he/she wishes to pass as a knowledge claim. We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Sciences specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Sciences specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Human Sciences specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In short, the beliefs of human scientists greatly influence their conclusions. The confirmation bias is the most frequently criticized aspect of human scientists conclusions. People are inclined to believe that the human sciences are more prone to bias (due to being less scientific than their natural science counterparts). Firstly, just like any other humans, human scientists are prone to commence their search for a conclusion about humankind with prejudices and biases about individuals and societies natures. People are more likely to think more highly of a branch of society that they are part of. For this reason, human scientists generally find it difficult to be open minded about contentious topics such as racial and gender differences. Secondly, due to the fact that the human sciences deal with individuals, and people are more likely to form emotional attachments with people, rather than math theorems and atom nuclei, over-identification with humans that a scientist is supposed to be analyzing is almost unavoidable. Just like Bruce Parry had to struggle to remain completely objective while on his stay with the Kombai tribe, human scientists struggle to remain free of previous belief and bias while drawing conclusions about humankind. All scientists, especially human scientists, are prone to being affected by bias and emotion when trying to use reason to conclude a general trend in humankinds behavior. For this reason, there exist all kinds of controversies and disagreements in human science. While trying to draw a conclusion, the confirmation bias leads to scientists only recognizing evidence that contributes to their conclusion. They only notice confirming evidence like such because they are biased to believe that their conclusion is true and they somehow have to prove it to be so. Perhaps the only solution to such confirmation biases is actively pursuing contradictory evidence, and analyzing and acknowledging criticisms that seek to discredit their biased research and conclusions.

Free Essays on A Nervous Splendor

Unit 5 Historical Interpretation Question 1 A Nervous Splendor by Fredric Morton A Nervous Splendor is a study of a single year - 1888-1889 - in the fairy tale city of Vienna. During this year Johann Strauss Jr. wrote his Emperor Waltz; Sigmund Freud, having quit his lucrative job as assistant physician to a Nerve Specialist for the Very Rich, used the term "subconscious" for the first time in print; there was a renaissance of Viennese music, art, literature, and architecture; and Vienna became the Suicide Capital of the world. It was the year Crown Prince Rudolph, handsome and popular heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, shot his 17 year-old mistress Mary Vetsera and then himself at his hunting lodge Mayerling. It was also the year Clara Hitler gave birth to Adolph. For many Austrians, it was the year the Western Dream died. In Vienna, the Totentanz, the 'Dance of Death', is necessarily a waltz. Frederic Morton, Viennese to the core and one of our better novelists, turned his hand a decade back to history, the history of Vienna before the wars. The results are s uperb. In A Nervous Splendor, Morton takes up the life and mood of an ancient and imperial city confronting the quickening of modernity: much of the modern world was borne in the Habsburg womb, incongruously enough. Herzl and Freud, Klimt and Mahler, street-sweepers and archdukes all play their parts, drawn in telling detail, richly nuanced. A Nervous Splendor details an ominous year in the failing life of the Austro-Hungarian Dyarchy: a year of suicides great and obscure, of intellectual rebellions and repressions, a year in which Bruckner and Brahms reconciled, Freud took the first steps into a new discipline, and Arthur Schnitzler faced the facts of the writing life. A year dark with portent, and centering most darkly upon the figure of the imperial heir apparent. A year in the gimcrack capital of a ramshackle empire, whose armies moved (usually in retreat) in three... Free Essays on A Nervous Splendor Free Essays on A Nervous Splendor Unit 5 Historical Interpretation Question 1 A Nervous Splendor by Fredric Morton A Nervous Splendor is a study of a single year - 1888-1889 - in the fairy tale city of Vienna. During this year Johann Strauss Jr. wrote his Emperor Waltz; Sigmund Freud, having quit his lucrative job as assistant physician to a Nerve Specialist for the Very Rich, used the term "subconscious" for the first time in print; there was a renaissance of Viennese music, art, literature, and architecture; and Vienna became the Suicide Capital of the world. It was the year Crown Prince Rudolph, handsome and popular heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, shot his 17 year-old mistress Mary Vetsera and then himself at his hunting lodge Mayerling. It was also the year Clara Hitler gave birth to Adolph. For many Austrians, it was the year the Western Dream died. In Vienna, the Totentanz, the 'Dance of Death', is necessarily a waltz. Frederic Morton, Viennese to the core and one of our better novelists, turned his hand a decade back to history, the history of Vienna before the wars. The results are s uperb. In A Nervous Splendor, Morton takes up the life and mood of an ancient and imperial city confronting the quickening of modernity: much of the modern world was borne in the Habsburg womb, incongruously enough. Herzl and Freud, Klimt and Mahler, street-sweepers and archdukes all play their parts, drawn in telling detail, richly nuanced. A Nervous Splendor details an ominous year in the failing life of the Austro-Hungarian Dyarchy: a year of suicides great and obscure, of intellectual rebellions and repressions, a year in which Bruckner and Brahms reconciled, Freud took the first steps into a new discipline, and Arthur Schnitzler faced the facts of the writing life. A year dark with portent, and centering most darkly upon the figure of the imperial heir apparent. A year in the gimcrack capital of a ramshackle empire, whose armies moved (usually in retreat) in three...