{"product_id":"the-value-of-the-humanities","title":"The Value of the Humanities","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe Value of the Humanities provides a critical account of the principal arguments used to defend the value of the Humanities. The claims considered are: that the Humanities study the meaning-making practices of culture  and bring to their work a distinctive understanding of what constitutes knowledge and understanding; that  though useful to society in many ways  they remain laudably at odds with  or at a remove from  instrumental use value; that they contribute to human happiness; that they are a force for democracy; and that they are a good in themselves  to be valued \"for their own sake.\" Engaging closely with contemporary literary and philosophical work in the field from the UK and US  Helen Small distinguishes between arguments that retain strong Victorian roots (Mill on happiness; Arnold on use value) and those that have developed or been substantially altered since. Unlike many works in this field  The Value of the Humanities is not a polemic or a manifesto. Its purpose is to explore the grounds for each argument  and to test its validity for the present day. Tough-minded  alert to changing historical conditions for argument and changing styles of rhetoric  it promises to sharpen the terms of the public debate.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44962844377141,"sku":"ByrdShop_0199683867","price":34.52,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780199683864.jpg?v=1770398174","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-value-of-the-humanities","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}