Week 1 Blog

Week 1: Separation of Art and Science

 

Modeling – Art vs. Science

In our current society people are either artistic or science minded, but hardly ever both at the same time. According to Professor Vesna, this phenomenon is relatively new (Vesna). At UCLA this phenomenon is present through the separation of north and south campus. North campus is for "arts" majors such as sociology and political science while south campus is for "science" majors such as engineering and nursing. I came into UCLA undeclared and took a diverse range of GEs, so I have experience in both sections of campus. Between my time in north and south campus I felt like I was interacting with two different student bodies who knew nothing about the other. Snow wrote about a similar experience he had, "... for constantly I felt I was moving among two groups- comparable in intelligence, identical in race, not grossly different in social origin, earning about the same income who had ceased to communicate at all..." (Snow). This limited communication makes it difficult to collaborate and introduce a combination of art and science to the world.

Image 2

After experiencing the divide at UCLA I wondered why were two groups of people so separated from another? I believe Bohm has a explanation to my questions, "From early childhood, one is taught to maintain the image of 'Self' or 'Ego' as essentially perfect," (Bohm). In order for children to be perfect they are taught to believe they cannot do it it. They must choose science or arts and stick with it because switching back and forth and not putting all their energy into one would result in them not being perfect.

Fortunately not everyone is sticking to this idea; there are many people who are willing to risk not being perfect and are exploring science and art concurrently. Wilson talks about artist as researchers, "They attempt to enter into the heart of scientific inquiry and technological innovation to address research agendas ignored by the mainstream...," (Wilson). More people need to think like this because we do not live in a science world or an art world, we live in a world made up of a perfect mixture of both. Kelly said it best, , "While science sat in the cultural backseat, its steady output of wonderful products—radio, TV, and computer chips—furiously bred a pop culture based on the arts," (Kelly). You cannot have one without the other.

Koski

References

1.Bohm, D. “On Creativity.” Leonardo, Vol. 1, No. 2. (Apr., 1968), pp. 137-149. Print.

2. “Image 2.” UCLA - Campus Map, www.biochemistry.ucla.edu/Faculty/Campusmap.html.

3. Kelly, Kevin. “The Third Culture.” Science. American Association for the Advancement of    

             Science, 13 Feb. 1998. Web. 8 Apr. 2017.

4. Koski, Marci. “Art and Science Intersect How?” Brainy Girls!, 1 Jan. 1970,           
          www.brainygirls.org/2013/02/art-and-science-intersect-how.html.

5. Snow, C.P. The Two Cultures: And a Second Look. N.p.: n.p., 1963. Print.

6. “Modeling – Art vs. Science (What Is a Model – Part II).” Analytical Ones, 13 July 2015,    

            www.analyticalones.com/modeling-art-vs-science-what-is-a-model-part-ii/.

7. Vesna, Victoria . "Nanotechnology + Art ."  8 April. 2018. Lecture.

8. Wilson, Stephen . "Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology ."        
              (2000):n. pag. Web. 8 Apr. 2017.