Rekindling the Spirit of Humanism: The “Worldview” Paper

Many classical scholars have fretted about the disconnect between undergraduate instruction in Greco-Roman antiquity and the spirit of humanism. As classical studies have professionalized, an undergraduate education in the discipline has become decreasingly linked to the humanist goal of creating more ethical and introspective adults. This article suggests one means of rekindling humanism in the undergraduate Latin or Greek classroom: professors can assign a “worldview” paper. Such a paper gives students the opportunity to use Greek and Latin literary works to contemplate a sound philosophy of life.