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The humanistic science symbol is rooted in the myth of Hermes and his gift of hermeneutics, which means in Greek, to translate and interpret. Since he invented language and speech, Hermes functioned as an interpreter and mediator between the human and divine worlds. He was also a trickster and was at ease with the limitations of language and speech because a healthy skepticism about words and language is essential. The limitations only highlight the importance of interpretation and translation of concepts in the pursuit of true knowledge. Hermes is often symbolized as a tortoise because human knowledge develops slowly and methodologically and is often a result of “divine inspiration.” Like the tortoise, everyone carries the story of humanity, the tortoise on their back, a human being on their fingerprints.

Those that follow the humanistic sciences view the world subjectively, pursue a first-person understanding, symbolized by the tree of life because an individual is rooted in history and seeks a connection to the universal experience of being human.