Week 1: Two Cultures
The two cultures of
art and science have been in conflict with each other for most of my life, and
only up until recently have they begun to merge together and complement each
other. As C.P. Snow stated in his original lecture, the cultures of art and science
are separated by literary intellectuals and natural sciences, respectively.
In elementary
school, the different subjects I had to learn were taught very separately. Art
was taught in art class, science was taught in science class, and we even had a
separate technology class. With this kind of educational structure, there are "no
opportunities for self-expression". In the same way, educating the general
public on issues like environmental sustainability, healthy habits, and disease
epidemics often requires a more artistic expression of the information. I have
recently become interested in the field of public health, and one thing I have
learned with regards to health education is that presenting this kind of
information as a scientific lecture rarely engages people, but by using tools
such as graphic design and artistic activities so people can learn about these
issues hands-on is much more effective.
In situations like
this, it is clear that Brockman's view of the third culture is becoming more
the norm in today's society. Contemporary scientists are increasingly becoming
more aware of the importance of artistic thinking in their work, and this is evident
in the advancements in bioengineering and genetic engineering. The same goes
for contemporary artists; there is an increasing use of technology and science
in art being created, and the concept of "art" is expanding to
include works that use science and technology, as is the case with video games.
Some classes offered in the HBS major.
The major I am
pursuing is Human Biology and Society (HBS), which was created in an attempt to
bridge the gap between the humanities/social sciences and natural sciences. In
a campus where the arts and sciences are physically divided between north and
south campus, the HBS major looks at issues such as bioethics, genetics, and
public health, all fields which require knowledge of science/biology, as well
as analyzing how artistic and social expression play out in individuals and
communities. I believe that as I continue to pursue this major and learn about
these fields, the two cultures of art and science will become increasingly
similar, and one day they may not even be separate at all in my mind.
Sources
- Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. London: Cambridge U Press, 1959. Print.
- Graham-Rowe, Duncan. "John Brockman: Matchmaking with science and art." Wired. Wired, 3 Feb. 2011. Web. 9 Apr. 2017.
- Wilson, Stephen D. “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology.” College Art Association Meetings. New York, New York, 2000. Print
- Kelly, Kevin. "The Third Culture." Science. American Association for the Advancement of Science, 13 Feb. 1998. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.
- "Meeting Report." A Dangerous Divide. The New York Academy of Sciences, 9 May 2009. Web. 09 Apr. 2017.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteThank you for providing such a hopeful outlook on this cultural gap between art and science. In fact, when you discussed how "art" is expanding to include science and technology, I was reminded of a coding class I took. In this class, one of the projects was to design specific shapes to create a larger image while creatively inventing lines of code. The product can most definitely be defined as art, meaning that science and technology was, in fact, used to create this piece of artwork. This definitely exhibits the increasing use of technology in art forms to this day. I am now very aware that these signs of change, of bridging the gap between the two cultures, is happening right in front of me! Now, I'll hopefully be more aware of other instances of today's society resolving the distance between art and science and be encouraged by this growth towards unity.
Hi Sarah it is nice to get to know a little about you. I agree that Brockman's view of a third culture is also becoming more important. I also think that this is very important for students of today, like us. Many of our majors and careers paths need to include both cultures in order to reach the people of today's society on a deeper level. When you talked about your major and how you believe that maybe one day the cultures of art and science may not be separated at all, I thought it was a very interesting point. Since these to cultures are growing more and more together everyday I don't see why this idea isn't possible. I believe that the more and more they do come together the more prosperous we will be as students and as a society as a whole.
ReplyDeleteHi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting how you noted your educational upbringing, how each subject you took solely focused upon said subject and that this type of educational structure limits ones ability to express themselves. I definitely agree with the point and believe that academic subjects complement each other, and when one exposes themselves to both the arts and science, one is better able to reach their potential. As you had mentioned, educating the public on environmental issues, among others, often times requires an artistic expression to properly reach one's audience, not just a scientific explanation.
Furthermore, I found it interesting how you are an HBS major. That's one of the only majors I've heard of that truly integrate the combination of both the humanities/social sciences and STEM. While other majors are moving towards this, it's still a work in progress. Guess that's why we have GEs.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI think your point that students are taught art in "art class" and science in "science class" is pivotal -- it seems as if the educational system is trying to prevent an overlap of the subjects. It is this tidying that is really harmful, and leads to students believing that they must fit into the frame of either science-math or literature-history. In my medical anthropology class, my professor said that biological reductionism has been a huge issue of the case of the American education system. While certain pathways in the brain may make someone have more of a propensity to be talented in certain subjects, it should never been used as a form of restriction. Your major sounds fantastic, and like a union of two schools of thought that are typically not paired together.
Hi Sarah,
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised that your subjects in elementary were taught in different places. That each of the subjects had its own place. I am surprised by this because all my subjects were taught in the same classroom. Therefore, for a childish reason I just assumed that other schools were taught the same way. However, I see what you mean. Having a strict educational structure limits the children' ability to mix subjects. Therefore, making college students to be narrow minded when it comes to "how possibly can south campus students have similarities with north campus students". Like you I have seen how certain majors
are able to interact or have similarities because of technology. I hope that Brockman's view continues to open the opportunity for other south and north campus majors to see that their majors may have similarities.
Sarah, I think what you brought about your elementary school is very interesting. The fact that subjects are taught separately definitely shapes student's world view and pushed them toward thinking that art and science are not related. However, that is not true. By the way, I think the fact that your major closes the gap between them is very cool.
ReplyDelete