Art vs science debate

Always view them as 2 complementary modes of inquiry

instead of competing contradictory fields of knowledge.
The debate between the arts & the sciences often contain
assumptions that one is more superior than the other.
The arts
Defined as imaginative &
creative bodies of knowledge
encompassing host of disciplines,
often used as means of
expressing human emotions &
thoughts ; including moral values
& socio- political opinions.
Form of self- expression & claims
made are subjective &
contingent on contexts across
space & time. Various art forms
are a way to express social
concerns, political issues or
individual emotions & feelings.
Viewed as a way to reach out to
the community & rallying to the
masses by appealing to
emotions.
Focuses on study of human
culture using analytical, critical
methods.
Humanities include wide range of
disciplines like languages,
religion, philosophy, visual &
performing arts && social
sciences such as linguistics and
cultural studies.
These focuses on the
understanding of meaning,
purpose & goals & furthers
appreciates the singular
historical & social phenomena
instead of uncovering the truths
of the natural world.
Arts often criticized for being
frivolous & has limited

Science
Defined as systematic knowledge of
physical/material world gained through
observation & experimentation,
rationally explained & reliably applied.

Objective and factual. Observations &

discoveries are backed up by facts &
experimentation, challenged by even
more scientific theories &
experimentations.

Focuses on study of natural world via

scientific methods.
Body of techniques for investigating
phenomena, acquiring new knowledge
or correcting & integrating previous
knowledge. Sciences such as
astronomy, biology, chemistry uses
scientific methods to arrive at scientific
claims.

Has led to medical advancement &

technological developments.

usefulness:
Do not encourage innovation as
directly as sciences. Research in
humanities does not contribute
to direct development/ important
inventions.
More jobs in the sciences than in
the art. Arts & humanities based
education is seen as irrelevant &
waste of resources.
Knowledge within arts &
humanities not objective &
therefore not meaningful.

Stem cell research & therapy:

Therapy where cells are introduced into
damaged tissue to treat disorder &
injury. Viewed as a cure to debilitating
conditions such as Parkinsons diseases,
spinal cord injuries, Alzheimers disease,
diabetes & a variety of cancers.
Potentially safer & more desirable form
of treatment, but there are still ongoing
debates about ethics of stem cell
therapy & potential complications.
Advancements in technology (mobile
devices), evident that scientific research
can inspire products that greatly
improve our quality of life. Mobile
phones have enhanced efficiency &
convenience in telecoms. Improved the
speed at which we communicate and
speed up flow of information around the
world.