Snow’s assertion that the two cultures “in intellectual, moral and psychological climate had so little in common” may have been pertinent in his period of time, but I believe it is too conventional in description now. Two Cultures was written almost 50 years ago, where the educational system gave them the molds and the stereotypes they grow to fit in. It is still somewhat prevalent today, but for the most part the current system has definitely progressed so that we have the freedom to explore other options.
For example, I am a biochemistry major, and like every other student in my major and science field, we must fulfill the general education requirements that encompass the scope of art and humanities, which may be well outside of some student’s comfort zone. However, this allows us the opportunity to experience new subjects we may have never once considered that we could be good, or even excel, in. We may also discover at the end it was not meant to be, but we come out with a better understanding of a different culture and how it may in fact, not be that different at all.
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| Left and Right |
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| The Art of Science |
That being said, I believe that the integration of the two cultures has and is already occurring. The two may be different in perspectives and disciplines but that doesn’t imply one is superior to the other in intellect. Instead, science and literary arts are essentially both striving towards the same goal that as Bohm proposes “the reality in which [one] lives a certain onenesss and totality, or wholeness” (138). In a sense, we all just all trying to understand ourselves and our world in our own way.
References
ASICS. Left
and Right. Web. 6 Oct
1993. <http://theinspirationroom.com/daily/print/2009/3/ASICS-art-science.jpg>
Bohm,
David. On Creativity.
London: Routledge, 1998. Print.
Moyer,
Leigh. The Art of Science. Web. 6 Oct 1993.
<http://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/masscreative/pages/79/attachments/original/1348593116/Science_Wonder_Art.jpeg?1348593116>
Snow, C.
P.. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York:
Cambridge University Press, 1959. Print
TedxTalks. “We do not know - uncertainty, art and science:
Hannah Redler at TEDxAlbertopolis” Youtube.
Youtube, 3 October 2013. Web. 6 October 2013.
Elizabeth,
ReplyDeletePersonally, I found your argument that the "two cultures" gradually being bridged in society today to be extremely interesting. For me, I hold a strong belief that everything in this world is driven by incentives. As you mentioned, Bohm argues that by combining art and science, people are able to create more original and creative works. People are recognizing that creating this overlap creates more innovative and differentiating works and that is why people are beginning to move towards it.
I actually enjoyed reading your blog post because not only did it concisely deliver the theme of cohesion between both art and science, it was also short and sweet. I particularly liked the poster you included because its slogan was, "What's a left without a right?" While certain people may favor one over the other, I believe that you can't have one without the other and neither is superior nor inferior. I personally find that while my passions may be associated with the right brain and lie in north campus, I don't discount the worth or value of its counterparts. Lastly, I especially agreed with your bit about how requirements for arts and humanities helps one find their career paths and at the very least, learn a new culture. I came in undeclared, so I definitely understand the feeling of being lost and finding my own way around both north and south campuses.
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