Week 1 - Two Cultures

    I’ve always understood that there was a distinction between arts and sciences, but I have never taken the time to investigate those differences.  In “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution”, C.P. Snow is able to argue that the arts and the sciences have split into two completely different cultures.  He ultimately believes that this divide is a net negative to humanity.  This detriment has ultimately been caused by a culture that forces our brightest minds to specialize instead of becoming more well rounded individuals.


An Update on C. P. Snow's "Two Cultures" | Scientific American
C.P. Snow's Idea of Two Cultures


    As an economics major, I have spent the majority of my time on the north end of campus.  Being a stem major in north campus has allowed me to acquire a unique perspective on this divide.  I have found that many of the students there are exceptionally gifted writers and problem solvers, but shudder at the idea of solving complex equations.  My friends on the south side of campus love working with numbers but despise the idea of writing complex essays on any of their work.  


Photo illustration by Nitya Tak and Noah Danesh.
UCLA's North & South Campus


    Since learning about these divisions and potential solutions, I’ve begun to shift the blame from the individuals in a particular major towards the institutions that don’t allow these scholars to become well rounded students.  I now strongly believe that as Victoria Vesna mentions in “Toward a Third Culture: Being In Between”, universities need to place a stronger focus on giving students the resources to truly excel in their studies.  Ultimately, no student will be able to provide a meaningful impact on the world without a strong set of skills in both the arts and the sciences.


Combining Art and Science to Produce Better Research - Labtag Blog
A Scientist Visualizing Work Through Art


    As a soon-to-be graduate of UCLA, I believe this realization will allow me to better connect with peers and pursue lifelong goals of business ownership.  It will allow me to help the people around me become more well rounded alongside reminding me to equally distribute my focus towards both the arts and the sciences.


Works Cited

Snow, C.P. “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution,”            static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/A13B2F53-2987-40D8-    95C10F9533D9AA69_source.jpg?w=1200.
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Tak, Nitya, et al. A Campus Divided, 2021, prime.dailybruin.com/justinnorth&southcampus.
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International, GA. blog.labtag.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Art-and-Science_600-x-250-px.png.
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Snow, C P. The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution ; the Rede Lecture, 1959. Cambridge          England, University Press, 1962.
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Vesna, Victoria, and JSTOR. Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between. 2nd ed., vol. 34, The MIT Press, 2001, pp. 121–125, links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0024-094X%282001%2934%3A2%3C121%3ATATCBI%3E2.0.CO%3B2-3.
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“A Campus Divided | PRIME.” A Campus Divided | PRIME, prime.dailybruin.com/justinnorth&southcampus.

“Erasing the Gap between Art and Science.” Science.org, 2021,    www.science.org/content/article/erasing-gap-between-art-and-science, https://doi.org/10.1126/article.65284.
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Robinson, Ken. “Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, 14 Oct. 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U.

Comments

  1. ryankingDESMA9April 6, 2025 at 1:51 PM

    Hey Brandon, I agree that being an economics major in north campus has made me realize the completely different attitudes and cultures of south and north campus. There seems to be a lack of completeness across the two campuses where the north seems more laid back for the most part while the south campus is fully locked in to their studies which gives them a bit of an arrogance.

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