IMPERATIVENESS OF HUMANISING THE SCIENCES IN THE QUEST FOR GLOBAL PEACE, SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Keywords:
Humankind, Technology, Society, Human Knowledge, Civilization, MoralityAbstract
This article provides a rational justification for the need to humanize the sciences in the quest for peace, security and sustainable development in a technology-based global society. The article explores the significant contributions of great philosophers to the interconnectedness and interdependence of the Humanities and Sciences in the history of Western thought. It further discusses the role of 18th Century Industrial Revolution in the radical shift of attention from the humanities to technological innovations and the reason for the erroneous assumption and gross misconception that humanistic disciplines are aesthetic luxury. Arising from the linkage between the sciences and the global challenge of insecurity, this paper emphasizes the relevance of humanistic approach and methods to sciences in the light of the skills and invaluable insights of the humanities, which can help to proffer both ethical and value-laden creative solutions to myriad of problems facing humanity in a globalized world. This paper considers the importance of humanizing the sciences not only for the survival and good of humanity, but also for the establishment of a viable relationship between science and society. The paper further argues that a synergy between the sciences and humanities and the integrated efforts of the two fields would help in addressing global challenges posing threats to human existence and total well-being. It concludes that the pursuit of human moral refinement, which is the preoccupation of humanities, must be the central focus of our education with a view to achieving a realistic sustainable development in this age of globalizati
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