by Chrystal Mahan

Created on: October 20, 2009   Last Updated: October 21, 2009

Changes in Humanities: Michelangelo

I think the most important change that came about as a result of the life of Michelangelo was the general creation of Humanities. The man was a master of sculpting and painting. He was an artist; painter, engineer, architect and he had vast knowledge of the human anatomy. He was ahead of his time. There were many who did not think he was all that great. But, there was no single person that was able to do all that he had done. Not one single person then or now; to me that makes him a genius.

I feel had Michelangelo chosen to father in his father's footsteps, one would not know the great legacy that Michelangelo left behind. I am sure we would have had many other painters, but would any of them been able to depict the biblical times right out of the bible and onto the walls they way he had? Would they have had the same type of training he had? A love and passion for what he did? I doubt it. His painting is such a fascination because he took the time to study the human anatomy and use that knowledge in his paintings. Without that knowledge, I am sure his paintings could be compared to other artists of his time. But, that is what makes him so different from every one else. He has many different talents. I believe there's lots of knowledge inside of one man. Show me another man from that time that was able to create all that Michelangelo had. You're not likely to find one. Michelangelo was ahead of his time.

Without Michelangelo, others would not have someone to follow in the footsteps of. The humanities would not be what we know them to be today. I believe Michelangelo was the start of Humanities.

I believe that it is possible for this to be a shift by Kuhn's definition and here's why: the Humanities have a set of followers. Humanities have gone through many changes in the years. The biggest being: teaching humanities through distance learning. Technology is a huge paradigm shift. Humanities have followed the technology path. Mary Poovey is someone who believes in the change. However, she feels Humanities will not survive distance learning. Josephine Papsts believe there was a shift. So much so that she felt their needed to be a new one called: Transdisciplinarity.

There are those, like TR at the University of Michigan, who stated in his paper that only true sciences can have paradigm shifts. He feels social science does not have any standards. He says social sciences are based on speculation, emotion and guesswork. I for one would have to disagree with that. Yes, social sciences are based on those things, but that is not all we base them on. We collect data and establish facts. We take old theories and correlate new ones. Paradigm Shifts are a great jump forward for man. Michelangelo was a great jump forward for Humanities. The Humanities, because great steps forward for man; therefore, Michelangelo and the Humanities were a Paradigm shift in our times.

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