Week 1 | Two Cultures

Though we may look at art and science and see two different things that are unlikely to converge, up until recently, one always came with the other. Now it is evident that there is almost a great divide in the two worlds. In the article Professor Vesna wrote, called “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between” it says “Being in between implies a discomfort with the border and a longing for a new synthesis.” This implies that for some reason, despite the connection the two cultures have had in the past, we are somehow uncomfortable with the divergence of the two in modern times. However, in this discomfort, Vesna calls for us to find inspiration, not to force a bridging of the two cultures, but to find a middle ground where both of these cultures can coexist, creating a third culture in their wake.

The same views are shared by C.P. Snow, author of “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” In this article, Snow recognizes the divide between science and art, and finds it to almost be dangerous, saying “A good many times I have been present at gatherings of people who, by the standards of the traditional culture, are thought highly educated and who have with considerable gusto been expressing their incredulity at the illiteracy of scientists.” I believe that what he is expressing is that there is a lack of understanding and consideration of art by scientists and vice versa for artists. The two no longer understand each other, and society is greatly missing out because of it.

The American Chemical Society says “science is designed to be objective and guided by data; art is subjective and deeply influenced by feelings and opinions.” 

However, despite how harsh of a gap the world thinks there is between art and science, there are some who understand that essentially “science=art” and “they are the same thing” (Forbes, 2016), and that one fosters creativity and thinking outside the box for the other (The Oxford Scientist, 2022).

Being a STEM student at UCLA, I often see STEM and humanities majors fail to understand each other, thinking one is better than the other. I used to be in the same boat, but often found myself benefiting in my STEM courses by thinking about science artistically. I believe that bridging the gap between these two is quintessential to understanding each other. 

Sources:

Vesna, Victoria. “Towards a Third culture | Being in Between.” Art, Technology, Consciousness, 1 Sept. 2000, pp. 7–12, https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv36xw15f.5.

Snow, C.P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution, Sept. 1959, https://doi.org/10.1088/0031-9112/10/9/004.

Quora. “Why Art and Science Are More Closely Related than You Think.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 12 Oct. 2022, www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2016/03/16/why-art-and-science-are-more-closely-related-than-you-think/?sh=1b9edcdc69f1.

“Open for Discussion: What’s The Difference between Art and Science?” American Chemical Society, www.acs.org/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/2021-2022/april-2022/art-and-science.html#:~:text=Artists%20strive%20to%20evoke%20a,influenced%20by%20feelings%20and%20opinions. Accessed 5 Apr. 2024.

The Oxford Scientist. “To What Extent Is Art Important to Scientists?” The Oxford Scientist, 18 Mar. 2023, oxsci.org/is-art-important-to-scientists/.