Ameel 1

Riley Ameel

Dr. Isaacson

The Life And Mind

23 September 2021

Value of Learning Science and Humanistic Point of Views

For many years, the conflict between the literary and scientific cultures has been very

apparent. Why is there such a big debate regarding the two studies that the world relies on most?

Both bring positive attributes to the table, so what good does pining the two cultures against each

other do? From the article, The Two Cultures: and a Second Look, Snow states that there are,

“Two polar groups: at one pole we have the literary intellectuals, at the other scientists, and as

the most representative, the physical scientists. Between the two, a gulf of mutual

incomprehension” (Snow 4). Neither the scientist, nor literary intellectuals understand the

importance of each other. During the period of time that Snow was living in, often the two

groups would snark at one another and many times, refuse to socialize because they did not

appreciate each other’s studies. They would degrade the importance of each other and look down

upon the other’s research. Realizing the differences between the two groups is the first step to

appreciating each of their individual levels of importance.

Without science, our society would be in a lot of trouble. The past few decades,

scientists have completed a lot of successful research that helps our world tremendously. From

the recent search for a COVID vaccine, to finding new ways to save our planet from climate

change, scientists have been making a huge contribution to keeping our citizens alive and well.

In The Educated Imagination, The Motive for Metaphor, Frye states, “ You can see why we tend

to think of the sciences as intellectual and the arts as emotional; one starts with the world as it is,
 Ameel 2

the other with the world we want to have… Science learns more and more about the world as it

goes on: it evolves and improves'' (Frye 24). Understanding the important role that science plays

in our society is the key to understanding why science is useful. Frye said that science evolves

and improves with our world. The evolution of science is crucial to the innovations in modern

medicine, technology, research on space, and many more. Scientists view the world as what we

have and how to live in it successfully; they love making new discoveries but a vast majority of

their research is focused on how we can survive on this planet the longest. They dedicate a lot of

their time to helping cure diseases, figuring out how we can reproduce, store and protect

necessities such as food, air, and water. They are dedicated to finding ways to keep this planet

functioning for as long as possible.

On the other hand, humanistic individuals bring color into the world; we can learn from

them the importance of imagination. Frye mentions the idea of how imagination pushes

humanists in their work, “So we begin to see where imagination belongs in the scheme of human

affairs. It is the power of constructing possible models of human experience. In the world of the

imagination, anything goes that’s imaginatively possible, but nothing really happens. If it did

happen, it would move out of the world of imagination into the world of action” (Frye 22).

Literary intellectuals are pushed by their imagination. Almost all of great literature (excluding

biographies), started with an intellectual with an idea made up from their imagination. These

ideas brought us great works: from books such as To Kill a Mockingbird, to classic films such as

The Wizard of Oz, to amazing pieces of art such as The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci and

Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh. These are just a few examples of humanistic pieces of work

that changed the world. Self-expression through the amazing work of a humanist creates depth to

the world. It helps guide other humans through life lessons, experiences or hard times. Life
 Ameel 3

without humanists would be dull. Humanists help change the world, they bring light to issues

that need to be addressed. Art, poetry, photography, and more can all be contributing factors to

creating movement and improving social justice issues. Humanists bring color and light into a

very static and dark world.

Both humanists and scientists are important, but how do they differ? Frye pointed out

how humanists tend to follow the heart and scientists follow facts. Their differences are what

make each one important. Without science, it would be hard for this world to advance and

prosper physically. At some point, if we stopped following science, living would be a lot harder.

We would face more disease, pollution, and much more. Having a life without the humanistic

point of view would be like living a life without color. Both play their own role in helping our

world thrive and prosper.

Both humanists and scientists are important to society and culture. Snow’s article was

written in 1965 and his response on how to end the divide between the two societies was,

“There is only one way out of all of this: it is, of course, by rethinking our education” (Snow 18).

I believe that schools understand the importance of teaching both subjects, even if a student

excels in a specific one. Throughout public school and in college, students are required to take a

variety of different subjects. This not only expands their knowledge of different topics, it also

helps them create an appreciation for them. In their scientific classes, students will learn how to

think using data and research and in their literary classes, they will learn to use their imagination

and how to express themselves. In Physical Education classes, they will learn the importance of

taking care of and exercising their bodies. Students who take a broad assortment of classes will

be more knowledgeable on a wide variety of topics. The more subjects kids know, then there is

more room for innovation in specific issues. They can use their knowledge from each subject
 Ameel 4

studied, and combine them to problem solve and come up with more solutions. For a brighter

future, we need to keep pushing ourselves to study challenging and different topics. If the world

appreciates both scientific and humanistic views, it will continue to evolve and improve.