Arts Vs. Science Debate

We are unique for possessing a drive for a deeper understanding of the world rather than just what is necessary in order for us to live and survive. Science and art are like twin pillars of creativity and innovation in any dynamic culture. They can be seen to be as different as day and night. Arts are about creativity and imagination whilst the sciences are about a rigorous application of technique and methods. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” (Einstein,1929)

Although art and science can be seen as two completely different things, the one thing that we have to remember is that there will always be a debate of what is better for us. Arts or Science. Arts can allow us to use our imagination whilst science is ‘one way’ explaining methods and different techniques to things all in the same way.

Using our imagination to looks at things differently enables us to be our own person and stand out from others. But would the science route mean that because there was set methods and techniques, that if we followed these, we would all be the same as we are not doing things differently?

Personally I think that there should be a balance of both the arts and science because “One characteristic common to both artists and scientists is playfulness, but that is not a characteristic usually associated with scientists in the general public’s mind” (Stange, 2010). “It seems that science is still viewed as a very serious and a very large mechanical process, and is something that may be explained a little by how it is taught, with a strong emphasis on following the rules of rigorous methodology.”

Can scientists use their imaginations and apply it to the science? Would that make them become unique and stand out from others as well? IS it that because society still sees science as a very serious process that there is no time for imagination only for the methodology and techniques? These are all questions that still come to the same conclusion. The Arts vs. Science debate.

 Dr. Mae Jemison’s views is however eye opening as she says  “Science or art? A ridiculous choice. The arts and sciences are connected. And our mission, is to reconcile and reintegrate science and the arts. Both the arts and the sciences, are not merely connected but manifestations of the same thing - they are our attempt to build an understanding of the universe, and our attempt to influence things (things in the universe internal to ourselves and the universe external to ourselves). “The arts and sciences are avatars of human creativity and are our attempt as humans to build an understanding of the world around us”

References

Stange, K. (2010). The Solemn Frivolity of Art And Charming Frigidity of Science. The international Journal of Arts & Sciences.