Week 1 | Two Cultures | Blog Assignment

The writers of the articles explained the pros and cons of the so called “Third Culture” or the bridging between science and art in detail.  The writer believes that there is no absolute correct answer or perspective for this problem.  The emergence of bridging or third culture is two-sided; on the one hand, if applied appropriately, it will definitely play the role of merging gaps between science and art which in turn producing effective communication between these two groups; on the other hand, the linkage between these two groups or the ability of middleman is fragile and may cause deeper gap.  

Based on my opinions, these two cultures are naturally connected together, both the appearance of third culture or the middleman are catalyst of minimizing and closing of gap.  To start with, most of people contain both sides of the two cultures.  One of my classmate was originally majored in Engineering and later transfered to Design, which he did excellent in both.  Also, engineering professors are more likely to use attracting powerpoint to educate students.  Both situation explains that each person has the spirit of both science and art, it’s just a matter of tendency.  Some are more “art” based, and others are more “science” originated.  

After reading the articles, I started thinking that there actually no need for bridging or third culture.  Each individual, including those regarded as middleman, is able to communicate with both science and art, because that’s the nature of human beings.  Eventually, with the improvement of society and reliability on technology, the gap will disappear by itself.  And it’s becoming even clear to me that thinking analytically with poetic mind is the best way to understand or learn something throughly.  

Reference:

1. ^ Liddell, Henry George and Robert Scott (1980). A Greek-English Lexicon (Abridged Edition). United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-910207-4.
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   ^ For ex., George Crabb, Universal Technological Dictionary, or Familiar Explanation of the Terms Used in All Arts and Sciences, Containing Definitions Drawn From the Original Writers, (London: Baldwin, Cradock and Joy, 1823), s.v. "technology."
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   ^ Julius Adams Stratton and Loretta H. Mannix, Mind and Hand: The Birth of MIT (Cambridge: MIT Press, 2005), 190-92. ISBN 0262195240.
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   ^ Eric Schatzberg, "Technik Comes to America: Changing Meanings of Technology Before 1930," Technology and Culture 47 (July 2006): 486-512.
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   ^ Read Bain, "Technology and State Government," American Sociological Review 2 (December 1937): 860.