But what is the use of the humanities as such? Admittedly they are not practical, and admittedly they concern themselves with the past. Why, it may be asked, should we engage in impractical investigations, and why should we be interested in the past? The answer to the first question is: because we are interested in reality. Both the humanities and the natural sciences, as well as mathematics and philosophy, have the impractical outlook of what the ancients called vita contemplativa as opposed to vita activa. But is the contemplative life less real or, to be more precise, is its contribution to what we call reality less important, than that of the active life? The man who takes a paper dollar in exchange for twenty-five apples commits an act of faith, and subjects himself to a theoretical doctrine, as did the mediaeval man who paid for indulgence. The man who is run over by an automobile is run over by mathematics, physics and chemistry. For he who leads the contemplative life cannot help influencing the active, just as he cannot prevent the active life from influencing his thought. Philosophical and psychological theories, historical doctrines and all sorts of speculations and discoveries, have changed, and keep changing, the lives of countless millions. Even he who merely transmits knowledge or learning participates, in his modest way, in the process of shaping reality - of which fact the enemies of humanism are perhaps more keenly aware than its friends. It is impossible to conceive of our world in terms of action alone. Only in God is there a "Coincidence of Act and Thought" as the scholastics put it. Our reality can only be understood as an interpenetration of these two. Erwin Panofsky
About This Quote

The quote, "but what is the use of the humanities as such" is referring to the practical application of humanities. It's not about what you want to do with your life, it's about what you want to be able to do in life. Good thinkers are good at forming concepts and ideas that are helpful for people. The quote goes on to say that they are not practical because they are not directly applicable in life.

A good thinker can form a theory for a specific purpose, but if that theory is wrong it can be wrong in many ways. The quote finishes off saying that it is because they are interested in reality or reality itself. Humanities have been proven to be an important part of our society because they teach us about who we are and how the world works.

They help us understand our world better and can help give us a better view of the world around us.

Source: Meaning In The Visual Arts

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