Unit 1 Blog Assignment (Donovan Nelson)

This week’s discussions, readings, and lectures have provided me with a new comfort in knowing that I am not the only one who acknowledges and is disappointed about the obvious divide between art and science. As a student majoring in human biology, my focus is clearly on the sciences, but often I feel limited when it comes to opportunities to learn and express myself creatively. 

C.P. Snow’s ideas in, “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution” perfectly translate my feelings into writing. I believe that neglecting art or science can be extremely detrimental to any student’s development. The goal should be to find a balance between learning the facts as defined scientifically, and applying them creatively. Personally, I view art as a way of expressing what we know as science, although art definitely has many other uses as well. Without art, we limit our options of ways to express or apply our ideas. 

This idea of separating art from science is especially accentuated by universities. For example, at UCLA, our campus divides the arts and sciences between North and South campus. It seems to be made clear that the disciplines should not mix. Because of this I am more likely to spend most of my time on the science side of school and miss out on many of the experiences and different perspectives found on the art side. This also contributes to the stereotypical view of scientists that most people have.

The video from RSA Animate called, “Changing Education Paradigms” was also very insightful. It somewhat clarifies the way we have developed our current educational system which uncovers why it is structured the way it is today. In the video, it mentions that the youth today do not believe in the educational system as they have in the past. The importance of having a diploma is fading as it no longer guarantees a job. I found it especially interesting when the narrator, Sir Ken Robinson, mentioned that for many, the route to a diploma often marginalizes everything they care about or find important along the way. I relate to this personally because often it seems that my education is very one-sided with science being my main focus and most of my time being spent memorizing different concepts and not much of an emphasis ever being placed on creativity which equally if not more important to me.

References

Anonymous. “Unit 1: Two Cultures Divided.” blogspot.com, 8 April 2018, http://erkhesbat.blogspot.com/2018/04/week-one-two-cultures.html?view=flipcard. Accessed 1 April 2021.

Curtis, Neal. “A message for our scientists.” auckland.ac.nz, 25 August 2020, https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2020/08/25/message-for-our-scientists.html. Accessed 1 April 2021.

Morris, Scott. “5 Tech Careers That Don’t Need A College Degree.” skillcrush.com, 2021, https://skillcrush.com/blog/tech-careers-no-degree/. Accessed 1 April 2021.

Robinson, Ken. “RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, 14 Oct 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&t=691s. Accessed 1 April 2021.

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York:                   

Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Vesna, Victoria. “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between.” Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. 

Web.