Do You Think Sciences Look Down On Humanities In Education?
Poll
Do You Think Those In Sciences etc. Look Down On Those In Humanities?
At university I have rarely felt inferior or superior to others for their chosen degree. I'll crack the ocasional joke with my flat mates - one studies english like me and the other does chemistry - but I've hardly ever encountered anyone who calls certain degrees worthless in person until a few days ago at a party.
It was a good party but a physics student, who was by far the most pretentious dickhead there and perhaps the most arrogant of people I've ever had the displeasure to meet, was going on and on about how worthless the humanities are in today's society and that those in any sciences courses (not psychology according to the big rant he had about them), medicine or engineering was automatically worth more as a human than anyone who does something in humanities. He also kept on saying how he was going to get a better paid job than me and the other humanities students there.
This didn't make him very well liked - at first I thought he was just having a joke but after he had a few he was being pretty serious.
I've only just had a bad one off experience but it did get me wondering what those who do sciences, engineering and medicine think of those in humanities. I've spoke to my flat mate about it, the one doing chemistry, and he mentioned that he didn't think they were any less important than sciences. But there is one thing which is sticking the back of my head which that ******** did say - 'those who do sciences can easily do humanities but those who do humanities can't do sciences'. I won't lie, it is bugging me a bit since it makes me feel as if my degree is worthless/a waste of time but I really shouldn't let some arrogant prat get me down.
Nevertheless I'm still curious into what those in sciences think of in humanities. Do you think those in sciences look down on those in humanities? Or do you think its vice versa?
It was a good party but a physics student, who was by far the most pretentious dickhead there and perhaps the most arrogant of people I've ever had the displeasure to meet, was going on and on about how worthless the humanities are in today's society and that those in any sciences courses (not psychology according to the big rant he had about them), medicine or engineering was automatically worth more as a human than anyone who does something in humanities. He also kept on saying how he was going to get a better paid job than me and the other humanities students there.
This didn't make him very well liked - at first I thought he was just having a joke but after he had a few he was being pretty serious.
I've only just had a bad one off experience but it did get me wondering what those who do sciences, engineering and medicine think of those in humanities. I've spoke to my flat mate about it, the one doing chemistry, and he mentioned that he didn't think they were any less important than sciences. But there is one thing which is sticking the back of my head which that ******** did say - 'those who do sciences can easily do humanities but those who do humanities can't do sciences'. I won't lie, it is bugging me a bit since it makes me feel as if my degree is worthless/a waste of time but I really shouldn't let some arrogant prat get me down.
Nevertheless I'm still curious into what those in sciences think of in humanities. Do you think those in sciences look down on those in humanities? Or do you think its vice versa?
Scroll to see replies
This is in Spain so I'm unsure as to how relevant it is, but here you have 5 obligatory subjects and 4 that you pick that are either science or humanities. I've had some people make comments about how their chosen subjects were so difficult, saying how they needed oh such a huge amount of revision because it was just so difficult, and so many people failed this exam, and then asking me unsubtly if I even studied at all for my exams 
And then in obligatory Spanish language exams my teacher would include something from our Literature class and they would all realise that they had no idea how to differentiate between an oxymoron and a paradox
It took the few that had previously snubbed it down a peg, but apart from those few, most people seemed to realise that it isn't just forcing yourself to read some books. I don't think I've ever encountered anyone that thought I was worth less, though 
People are good at different things, there isn't just one type of intelligence. Not all sciences students can do humanities, that's complete rubbish, some could sure, but some humanities students could do sciences if they wanted, too.
And then in obligatory Spanish language exams my teacher would include something from our Literature class and they would all realise that they had no idea how to differentiate between an oxymoron and a paradox
It took the few that had previously snubbed it down a peg, but apart from those few, most people seemed to realise that it isn't just forcing yourself to read some books. I don't think I've ever encountered anyone that thought I was worth less, though People are good at different things, there isn't just one type of intelligence. Not all sciences students can do humanities, that's complete rubbish, some could sure, but some humanities students could do sciences if they wanted, too.
well, I don't know how accurate this is, but here's the first thing I found from sticking "graduate employment by subject" into google:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/06/graduate-employment-low-skill-jobs
the physical sciences graduates do seem to be significantly better off than humanities graduates according to that. As far as my first hand experience goes, I'm a physics graduate myself and have found no shortage of options upon graduation, and am now earning more than enough to live comfortably. As far as I am aware, that is typical amongst those who I graduated with, even people with 2.2 and 3rd class degrees have found employment. I also have a number of friends who studied humanities (history, english, art etc) that are now either doing jobs they could have done without going to uni, or have gone back to study another degree. I know my own 1st hand experience is nothing to draw sweeping conclusions from, but it is what it is. Whether that guy was being condescending & rude or not, I've got a feeling he's probably right about employment prospects being better for physics graduates than humanities. Does it mean one is more important than the other though? I think it would be a tragedy if any subject stopped being studied, as there will have been many people down the years who had devoted their whole lives to developing it and their efforts would all have been for nothing if that subject was lost now. It's not all just about employment or how much money a person can make afterwards.
PS. I'm not buying this **** about humanities students being incapable of learning something like physics or mathematics to a high standard, I don't believe it's beyond anyone who does not have a proper medical learning disability. You might have to deal with some complicated concepts but you build them all out of a series of baby steps that anyone could understand. I think it's just a matter of patience & perserverance, these subjects aren't easy to anyone.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/06/graduate-employment-low-skill-jobs
the physical sciences graduates do seem to be significantly better off than humanities graduates according to that. As far as my first hand experience goes, I'm a physics graduate myself and have found no shortage of options upon graduation, and am now earning more than enough to live comfortably. As far as I am aware, that is typical amongst those who I graduated with, even people with 2.2 and 3rd class degrees have found employment. I also have a number of friends who studied humanities (history, english, art etc) that are now either doing jobs they could have done without going to uni, or have gone back to study another degree. I know my own 1st hand experience is nothing to draw sweeping conclusions from, but it is what it is. Whether that guy was being condescending & rude or not, I've got a feeling he's probably right about employment prospects being better for physics graduates than humanities. Does it mean one is more important than the other though? I think it would be a tragedy if any subject stopped being studied, as there will have been many people down the years who had devoted their whole lives to developing it and their efforts would all have been for nothing if that subject was lost now. It's not all just about employment or how much money a person can make afterwards.
PS. I'm not buying this **** about humanities students being incapable of learning something like physics or mathematics to a high standard, I don't believe it's beyond anyone who does not have a proper medical learning disability. You might have to deal with some complicated concepts but you build them all out of a series of baby steps that anyone could understand. I think it's just a matter of patience & perserverance, these subjects aren't easy to anyone.
(edited 11 years ago)
Psychology is not a science.
On average philosophy graduates have a larger income than those who studied economics after 5 years 
.
EDIT: Don't neg me
It's the truth.
.EDIT: Don't neg me
It's the truth.(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Jooooshy
I took Eng lit to AS and dropped it. ****ing difficult subject man. Harder than science and maths in my opinion. You've either got it or you haven't! God bless you for your commitment to the subject!
Same here, I dropped it.
I got an A in History with ease, but struggle so much with Psychology (got a B)
Learning 20 25 mark essays is not fun
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
Psychology is not a science.
Psychology uses Emperical evidence and Scientific evidence to prove or dissprove a hypothesis.
"The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment"
So yes, it is a science.
I think every degree is worth the same provided it's academically rigorous...
Like everything in life, I think it comes down to the individual, and their own thoughts on it personally, some will find humanities worthless, some will not. I personally think they are of equal worth academically, but when it comes to things like employment, that science and engineering have the edge in that they teach you things that can help in stuff like industry and business - this however, does not make history, or other humanities worthless, it just makes them less useful in a workplace/industry, which is only one aspect of the advantages of getting a degree (others being meeting new people, learning new stuff, learning to question things to a greater extent and so on...)
The great irony I think about it though, is that science and (some) humanities share similar processes of critical thinking, testing an argument/hypothesis against the evidence, and then proving that argument to be true/have some weight to it, it's just that they deal with different subjects
.
As for the OPs experience, I'd put it down to you just bumping into a dick more than anything else - best just to ignore and move on methinks...
Like everything in life, I think it comes down to the individual, and their own thoughts on it personally, some will find humanities worthless, some will not. I personally think they are of equal worth academically, but when it comes to things like employment, that science and engineering have the edge in that they teach you things that can help in stuff like industry and business - this however, does not make history, or other humanities worthless, it just makes them less useful in a workplace/industry, which is only one aspect of the advantages of getting a degree (others being meeting new people, learning new stuff, learning to question things to a greater extent and so on...)
The great irony I think about it though, is that science and (some) humanities share similar processes of critical thinking, testing an argument/hypothesis against the evidence, and then proving that argument to be true/have some weight to it, it's just that they deal with different subjects
.As for the OPs experience, I'd put it down to you just bumping into a dick more than anything else - best just to ignore and move on methinks...
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Miracle Day
Psychology uses Emperical evidence and Scientific evidence to prove or dissprove a hypothesis.
"The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment"
So yes, it is a science.
"The intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment"
So yes, it is a science.
Its textbook regurgitation with a some simple mathematical statistics (which the students crumble under).
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
Its textbook regurgitation with a some simple mathematical statistics (which the students crumble under).
Please tell me why this makes it unscientific? Biology is wayy different to Chemistry, and Chemistry is sayy diffetent to Physics.
It's just a different science you're bitter towards because it's not mandatory for kids to study. If it was you'd have a much different attitude.
And some of the theories are actually quite complicated.
Regardless of the curriculum, Psychology is a recognise science.
Original post by Miracle Day
Please tell me why this makes it unscientific? Biology is wayy different to Chemistry, and Chemistry is sayy diffetent to Physics.
It's just a different science you're bitter towards because it's not mandatory for kids to study. If it was you'd have a much different attitude.
And some of the theories are actually quite complicated.
Regardless of the curriculum, Psychology is a recognise science.
It's just a different science you're bitter towards because it's not mandatory for kids to study. If it was you'd have a much different attitude.
And some of the theories are actually quite complicated.
Regardless of the curriculum, Psychology is a recognise science.
I did it, its a pile of ****. ICT was a bigger joke though, but a joke nonetheless.
You can talk our your arse, not include any case studies (because recalling case studies was hard) and still get a C.
Original post by Kiss
At university I have rarely felt inferior or superior to others for their chosen degree. I'll crack the ocasional joke with my flat mates - one studies english like me and the other does chemistry - but I've hardly ever encountered anyone who calls certain degrees worthless in person until a few days ago at a party.
It was a good party but a physics student, who was by far the most pretentious dickhead there and perhaps the most arrogant of people I've ever had the displeasure to meet, was going on and on about how worthless the humanities are in today's society and that those in any sciences courses (not psychology according to the big rant he had about them), medicine or engineering was automatically worth more as a human than anyone who does something in humanities. He also kept on saying how he was going to get a better paid job than me and the other humanities students there.
This didn't make him very well liked - at first I thought he was just having a joke but after he had a few he was being pretty serious.
I've only just had a bad one off experience but it did get me wondering what those who do sciences, engineering and medicine think of those in humanities. I've spoke to my flat mate about it, the one doing chemistry, and he mentioned that he didn't think they were any less important than sciences. But there is one thing which is sticking the back of my head which that ******** did say - 'those who do sciences can easily do humanities but those who do humanities can't do sciences'. I won't lie, it is bugging me a bit since it makes me feel as if my degree is worthless/a waste of time but I really shouldn't let some arrogant prat get me down.
Nevertheless I'm still curious into what those in sciences think of in humanities. Do you think those in sciences look down on those in humanities? Or do you think its vice versa?
It was a good party but a physics student, who was by far the most pretentious dickhead there and perhaps the most arrogant of people I've ever had the displeasure to meet, was going on and on about how worthless the humanities are in today's society and that those in any sciences courses (not psychology according to the big rant he had about them), medicine or engineering was automatically worth more as a human than anyone who does something in humanities. He also kept on saying how he was going to get a better paid job than me and the other humanities students there.
This didn't make him very well liked - at first I thought he was just having a joke but after he had a few he was being pretty serious.
I've only just had a bad one off experience but it did get me wondering what those who do sciences, engineering and medicine think of those in humanities. I've spoke to my flat mate about it, the one doing chemistry, and he mentioned that he didn't think they were any less important than sciences. But there is one thing which is sticking the back of my head which that ******** did say - 'those who do sciences can easily do humanities but those who do humanities can't do sciences'. I won't lie, it is bugging me a bit since it makes me feel as if my degree is worthless/a waste of time but I really shouldn't let some arrogant prat get me down.
Nevertheless I'm still curious into what those in sciences think of in humanities. Do you think those in sciences look down on those in humanities? Or do you think its vice versa?
I've never encountered it and I take no science subjects. The guy in your post sounds like an idiot, regardless of what he studies or thinks about those who study humanities subjects.
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
I did it, its a pile of ****. ICT was a bigger joke though, but a joke nonetheless.
You can talk our your arse, not include any case studies (because recalling case studies was hard) and still get a C.
You can talk our your arse, not include any case studies (because recalling case studies was hard) and still get a C.
Is that why the average grade is a D yeah?
Original post by Oh my Ms. Coffey
Its textbook regurgitation with a some simple mathematical statistics (which the students crumble under).
what a ridiculous statement...At A level, yes, I would agree, but not at university.
You haven't even started your degree yet, so you hardly ahve any licence to put down others' degrees.
-----------------------------------------
Funny how it always seems to be those that do Physics (or occasionally Engineering) that make these sorts of derogatory comments regarding other people's degrees.
(edited 11 years ago)
the only people I've ever encountered it from a people with immense inferiority complexes who feel the need to put people down at every opportunity. Usually these are people who aren't doing that well in their own subject but console themselves by the idea that people in other disciplines are 'thicker'
And tbf, most of my friends who graduated this year in english and have gone straight into the world of work have got some pretty decent jobs in journalism publishing law, marketing etc.
And tbf, most of my friends who graduated this year in english and have gone straight into the world of work have got some pretty decent jobs in journalism publishing law, marketing etc.
Original post by skotch what a ridiculous statement...
At A level, yes, I would agree, but not at university.
You haven't even started your degree yet, so you hardly ahve any licence to put down others' degrees.
-----------------------------------------
Funny how it always seems to be those that do Physics (or occasionally Engineering) that make these sorts of derogatory comments regarding other people's degrees.
what a ridiculous statement...At A level, yes, I would agree, but not at university.
You haven't even started your degree yet, so you hardly ahve any licence to put down others' degrees.
-----------------------------------------
Funny how it always seems to be those that do Physics (or occasionally Engineering) that make these sorts of derogatory comments regarding other people's degrees.
At university I assume they add some more textbooks and some standard deviations and watch the students cry.
Quick Reply
Latest
Trending
Last reply 2 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?Trending
Last reply 2 days ago
Why is the political left now censorious and authoritarian??Last reply 2 days ago
Is it true that British unis are prejudiced towards degrees from Scottish unis?Last reply 2 days ago
If the Russell Group was now a fair representation of what it still claims to beLast reply 2 weeks ago
TSR Goes Green: How important will the environment be in this year's election?Last reply 2 weeks ago
Research Rankings of universities if you add Research Quality & Intensity percentagesLast reply 1 month ago
Is University of Birmingham prestigious and respected well enough in UK ?
