Introduction
Today, there has been a stable tradition of dividing all disciplines into two large groups, providing natural science and socio-humanitarian knowledge. Each field of the Liberal Arts has its view of the world or ‘lens’ it uses to study the world. Professionals in the social sciences, natural sciences, humanities, and history ask specific questions to get information. However, depending on the lens, scientists can ask questions differently, which will help them explore different aspects of the topic.
History
History belongs to the humanities and social sciences, which study a person and a community from different angles. A human is at the center of history, thus, this lens looks at the events of the past, the characteristics of periods, and experiences from different points of view (Harney & Thomas, 2020). Today, historical research methods are used in many other areas, but the most common are social, political, and economic.
Humanities
Every historic community is the result of human interaction. Since humans are social beings, social science studies society, and human relationships. The study of human behavior and interaction can sometimes overlap with the lens of the humanities, which study different cultures (Harney & Thomas, 2020). The study of society, culture, and human relations give researchers an understanding of how people live and how to improve their lives. Sociologists use both primary and secondary sources to conclude within this lens.
Social Sciences
Even though there is a shared history of humanity, each state and society has its characteristics, considered in humanities. It studies cultures around the world and allows to discuss the similarities and differences between these cultures (Harney & Thomas, 2020). The humanities broaden perspective and promote understanding of diverse experiences, cultures, and values through various creative human expressions, such as literature, visual arts, dance, photography, literature, and philosophy, which explore how people understand and represent human experience. Thus, specialists in the humanities use primary sources, just as historians do. However, their perspective is based on the question of cultural values and their meaning, resulting from social interaction.
Natural Sciences
Another area that allows for the study of society is the natural sciences. Although often separated from the humanities today, fields such as chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as other STEM-related disciplines such as technology and mathematics, are the scientific method (Harney & Thomas, 2020). Basically, natural scientists develop questions and use a specific process of describing, predicting, and observing the natural world. However, the ways that the natural sciences use can be adapted from the scientific field and applied to other lenses.
Natural Sciences as Part of the Liberal Arts
The humanities are significantly influenced by the system of human values and the ideology of a particular cultural system. The natural sciences are also controlled by the cultural system, the authority of this or that scientist, the author of the concept, but to an immeasurably lesser extent. Here, instead, there is a specific interpretation and practice of using the knowledge obtained by natural scientists, as well as a certain social order that is presented to the natural sciences by society.
Conclusion
Studying the key characteristics of the four lenses of liberal arts allows to understand the different approaches to achieving various aspects of society. Despite different perspectives and research questions, each direction is connected by what studies the world around. The social sciences and the natural sciences seek to understand problems and find solutions, and learn history and nature, draw on primary sources to provide a deeper understanding of the world around them.
Reference
Harney, S., & Thomas, H. (2020). The liberal arts and management education: A global agenda for change. Cambridge University Press.