Greetings from the Head Professor
“和而不同 (Hwa-i-Bu-Dong)” — Harmony without Uniformity
In the Analects of Confucius, the Master said, “The noble-minded pursue harmony without demanding uniformity; petty minds seek uniformity but fail to achieve true harmony.”
At POSTECH, a university renowned for its excellence in science and engineering, we believe that this ancient wisdom—harmony without uniformity—captures the very spirit of what the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences aims to cultivate.As technological advancement exerts an increasingly complex and profound influence on human life, the role of humanistic reflection and social insight is no longer supplementary but essential.Our division embraces difference as the foundation of true harmony. We believe that science and the humanities, experimentation and interpretation, quantitative precision and qualitative sensibility can co-exist—not in conflict, but in meaningful dialogue.Students at POSTECH explore the laws of nature in the laboratory, and then return to the seminar room to reflect on the world through philosophy, history, literature, the arts, the economics and political sciences.All undergraduate students at POSTECH enter the university through the Mueunjae College, which offers an undeclared major track. For the first three semesters, they undergo intensive foundational training in mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, and computer programming, before choosing their major. It is only after this rigorous technical initiation that they encounter the classroom of the humanities and social sciences. Here, we emphasize that the essence of the humanities is not in answering predetermined questions, but in asking new ones: Why do we seek to understand nature? How does technology reshape our lives and our environments? What ethical responsibilities does it entail? Such questions form the groundwork for scientists with depth and engineers with integrity—but they are also questions rarely asked outside the walls of a university.Our division offers seminar-based courses in a wide range of fields: philosophy, literature, history, the arts, sociology, political science, economics, and communication. Through this diverse curriculum, students learn how to think differently, how to articulate complex ideas, and how to sense connections across disciplines and experiences.We also oversee the university’s core general education in writing, English, and physical education. These are not simply functional skills, but the foundation of an integrated liberal education that fosters intellectual expression, global communication, and physical self-awareness—essential capacities for balanced and sustainable living.At POSTECH, our Division is more than a provider of elective courses. We serve as a space for asking meaningful questions and cultivating interpretive vision. In this place where technology, the world, humanity, and the future intersect, we continue—quietly, but resolutely—to open up new possibilities for liberal learning.Thank you.
Professor and Chair, Division of Humanities and Social Sciences POSTECH (Pohang University of Science and Technology) Woo Jung-Ah, Ph.D. in Art History
