Louis L. Cabot, chair of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, certainly doesn’t think so. In “The Heart of the Matter,” a report defending the study of the humanities, he writes, “The key is defining a vision of education that meets students’ needs as broadly capable people equipped for the lives that await them, not one that simply mirrors the map of current faculty specializations.”

If the emphasis of education becomes limited to areas that only promise immediate results, employers will find themselves with a lack of employees who can critically consider actions to avoid problems, have a knowledge of social dynamics, and can think creatively.

Subjects like literature, history, and philosophy are not necessary to study because they will lift our economy, but because they will expand our knowledge in ways that will make us well-rounded individuals with the capacity for complex thought, which is valuable in any career a student chooses to undertake.

Throughout our elementary and higher level education, we are learning how to become workers to help sustain our nation’s high status in the global economy. We are learning the skills necessary to fit into a slot in the workplace, and neglecting the skills necessary to humanize it.

In 2011, the federal government supported 75% of funds for academic research for mathematics and physical sciences, but only 27% for development in the humanities. This is not surprising, given the clear path that math and science seem to pave for a high rate of return in every possible way.

However, there are some clear, tangible reasons as to why the humanities cannot be overlooked. Several studies have shown that humanists and social scientists are better skilled at dealing with the ethical questions that arise from new technologies, international policy decisions, and cultural differences that affect global security.

Business leaders seek a diverse set of skills aside from technical understanding, such as listening and critical thinking skills. These all contribute to strong decision making abilities that are vital in the workplace, as well as in every other aspect of our daily lives.

Of course, none of this is to say that the humanities should replace the subjects that are vital to sustain life. Without a doubt, math and science are necessary for us to continue growing and functioning properly as a nation, in the outer and technical sense. No one can dispute the revolutionary gains these subjects have brought us, but they cannot be studied at the expense of the humanities.

One cannot fight to stay on the same level as the other. We must continue to create and repair, which in the simplest terms, is what math and science help us do. However, we are capable of so much more than that, and are doing ourselves a disservice by allowing this simple fact to slip our minds. We cannot turn into a nation of simple-minded robots rather than citizens capable of higher-level thinking, which is the population we are accelerating towards by brushing aside the humanities like they are accessories to core education.