Week 1: Two Cultures

 

Katherine McNamara: Week 1 Blog Post

Two Cultures: Art and Science 

     After reading “Two Cultures and The Scientific Revolution” by C.P. Snow I viewed his two cultures,

art and science, as socially constructed communities for people to fall into. There are elements of

categorization and division that come into play with society’s view of science and art. Seeing scientists with

peers outside their culture voluntarily hanging around is an unusual image to see in popular culture or real

life. Laboratories, research facilities, offices, libraries, classrooms, and art studios are all spaces used

intentionally to grant people isolation from the outside world.

UCLA Campus Map

On our campus, all of our STEM classes are on the South campus separated from humanities classes on the

North. While I understand the convenience of having classes near each other for the commute to class, the

separation of people through space limits their interactions with those outside of their culture. It is less

probable for humanities majors and STEM majors to intersect once they reach major requisite classes as they

are on opposite sides of UCLA.

I felt out of place when I walked through the South campus for this assignment because I did not

recognize the people or buildings. As a Humanities major, I have never had a class on the South

campus nor do I meet STEM students in my classes on the North campus. The disconnection

prevents connection and the fusing of culture on our diverse campus; it almost defeats the purpose of

having us all here in the same place. If scientists never see artists and vice versa, how would they

Separation of People

collaborate or connect with them?  This week's two cultures topic made me ponder which culture I belonged to. My first thought was that I

am a part of art culture because I participate in artistic gymnastics. Then, I realized I may have a connection

to science through cooking. My in-between feeling is something Vesna talked about in her article, “Third

Culture: Being in Between”. Vesna pointed out that Snow’s “two cultures” are not definitive or complete.

The people who don’t fall into his categorization don’t have to pick a side to belong in society because they

are their own third culture. They can provide diverse perspectives and communication for science and art

cultures. Anyone can be a scientist, artist, or both (or neither!). I feel that I entirely belong in this third

in-between culture because art and science are both parts of who I am.

The Three Cultures

References

Knudsen, Susanne V. "Intersectionality–A theoretical inspiration in the analysis of minority cultures and identities in textbooks." Caught in the Web or Lost in the Textbook 53.1 (2006), 61-76.

Niiniluoto, Ilkka. "Futures studies: science or art?", Futures, (2001), 371-377, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0016-3287(00)00080-X.

Snow, C. P. (Charles Percy),  The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. New York: Cambridge University Press, (1959).

"RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms" Youtube, RSA. October 14th, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&t=138s

"SEEDMAGAZINE.COM Two Cultures Steven Pinker" Youtube, beautyandtruth09. May 18th, 2010. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BUbVc7qVpg. 

Vesna, Victoria. Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between, (2001). 121-125. 10.1162/002409401750184672. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Two Cultures Intro.” March 26, 2012. UCLA, Lecture. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Two Cultures Part1.” March 26, 2012. UCLA, Lecture. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Two Cultures Pt2.” March 26, 2012. UCLA, Lecture. 

Vesna, Victoria. “Two Cultures Pt3.” March 26, 2012. UCLA, Lecture. 

Images

"Interactive Campus Map." UCLA Undergraduate Admission. (2024) https://admission.ucla.edu/visit/maps-and-parking.

ipsos, (2018). https://www.ipsos.com/en/bbc-global-survey-world-divided

 Lieu, Cristine. (2020), https://twitter.com/christineliuart/status/1217940655105687552