Week 1: Two Cultures

C.P. Snow introduced the idea of two cultures: the cultures of literary intellectuals and of natural scientists (Snow 1959). He soon introduced the idea of mixing the two cultures into a third culture that combines the sciences and the arts (Vesna 2001).

As an Economics and Biology major, I constantly travel between North Campus and South Campus. North Campus courses focuses on the arts and humanities while South Campus majors focus on the sciences and mathematics. It is interesting how UCLA divides these two cultures geographically and students who decide that they want to pursue careers that mixes the two cultures are traveling between two polar ends of the campus. I am that student that constantly travels between campuses.

UCLA Broad Art Center: Building where many North Campus classes are taught.

(UCLA Broad Art Center 2012)

Young Hall: Building where many science courses are taught.

(Young Hall 2007)

Brockman describes the “third culture” as not the combination between literary intellectuals and natural scientists, but as scientists being the intellectuals and interacting with the public (Graham-Rowe 2011). Despite Brockman’s definition of a third culture, I find myself relating more with Snow’s definition of how the two disciplines have the ability to mix and create a third culture. I see myself constantly using knowledge I learn from my science courses as well as my humanities courses in my future career.

Wilson brought up the issue of a gap in understanding between scientists and the public. In fact, Wilson brings up that to face this challenge, “artists have also begun collaborating with scientists in creative and instructive ways.” (Wilson 2000). This is exactly showing how art and science are meshing into a third culture, a culture where there is an intersection of the two fields. Studies have shown that art is a great way to teach science, as it eliminates the fear of incorrect answers and boosts confidence (Krigman 2014). By combining these two cultures, a huge impact can be made on educating students. In fact, it made me realize that this may even allow us to teach higher level science courses earlier due to being able to use art to simplify things.

(Using Art to Teach Science 2012)

Before this course, I wasn't aware of the concept of “Two Cultures." I knew a division existed between the arts and sciences, but was never actively aware of this division. This third culture opens up countless possibilities in not only the career field but in how students connect different subjects. These new ideas benefit me in that I will continue to follow my passion of impacting the healthcare field through business and perhaps one day, land a job that constantly meshes the two cultures into what we now know as the third culture.

Citations:

Graham-Rowe, Duncan. "John Brockman:Matchmaking with science and art." Wired. 03 Feb. 2011. Web. 3 Apr. 2016.

Krigman, Eliza. "Gaining STEAM: Teaching Science Through Art." U.S. News. 13 Feb. 2014. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. <http://www.usnews.com/news/stem-solutions/articles/2014/02/13/gaining-steam-teaching-science-though-art>.

Snow, C. P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge UP, 1959. Print.

UCLA Broad Art Center. 2012. Los Angeles. Urban Simulation Team. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. <http://www.ust.ucla.edu/ustweb/Projects/PROJECTS/ucla/broad_img3.htm>. 

Using Art to Teach Science. 2012. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. <http://adventuresinmommydom.org/science-sunday-combining-science-and-art/>.

Vesna, Victoria. "Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between." Leonardo. 34 (2001): 121-125. Print.

Wilson, Stephen D. “Myths and Confusions in Thinking about Art/Science/Technology.” College Art Association Meetings. New York, New York, 2000. Print.

Young Hall, UCLA. 2007. Flikr. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. <UCLA Broad Art Center. Los Angeles. Urban Simulation Team. Web. 3 Apr. 2016. <https://www.flickr.com/photos/spiff11/508181800>.