The two cultures concept provides a schism between
the intellectual life of the whole Western society being split into two polar
groups, the scientific intellectuals and the literary intellectuals. C.P. Snow
takes the position that science is the foundational backbone of progress within
the world and it is the artistic and literary elements, which fall subsequent
to it. It is not that the two realms are distinctly separate from one another,
but these two worlds are specifically differentiated from one another. For Snow,
two cultures can be seen with the aforementioned science and art, the rich and
the poor (the title he wished to keep), and even males and females, all of
which have different mannerisms and operate their lives differently. 
To illustrate
the two cultures divide we can look to the UCLA campus geography. The
university is split into two distinct sectors: North Campus, for humanities and
the arts, and South Campus, for the math and sciences. This separation is a
direct source to Snow’s claim that our world is shaped by the two cultures of
art and science, which struggle to interact with one another. Moving away from
the geography of the campus itself, two cultures can be seen within athletes
and non-athletes. The notion of athletes having a different college experience
than normal students is completely valid, where these two groups have differing
schedules and operate differently on a daily basis. This is an unfortunate part
of the culture we are apart of, one that Snow may see as the “third culture”
solving.
Snow addresses
two cultures as a separation of two systems; however, he also addresses the
notion of finding a “third culture”. This culture is a hopeful integration of
the arts and sciences, where these two different worlds can eventually become
one functional unit, where progress can truly be created. I feel that this is
best encompassed at UCLA through sculptures, where the combination of art and
scientific ingenuity create a lasting product.
Dizikes, Peter. "Our
Two Cultures." The New York Times. The New York Times, 21 Mar.
2009. Web. 03 Apr. 2016.
Ontario Science Centre S
Cafe Scientifique Presents. N.d. Ontario Science Centre:. Web Image. 03 Apr. 2016.
Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures
and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961.
Print.
UCLA Sculpture Garden. N.d. www.losangelesloveafair.wordpress.com.
Web Image. 03 Apr. 2016.
UCLA Baseball. N.d. www.uclabruins.com.
Web Image. 04 Apr. 2016.
I like how you used the UCLA campus as an example of the division of art and science. Obviously, everyone in this class can relate to the geography of the campus and it is very easy to distinguish the two as we all refer to them as 'North' and 'South' campus. Like you stated, there are elements within the campus that encompass both art and science in what Snow would call a 'third culture.' These elements are both intriguing and beautiful and offer a way for students, faculty, and other people to enjoy the best of both worlds that UCLA has to offer (on campus at least).
ReplyDeletePS - Nice team photo
I thought it was interesting how you brought up all of the contrasting cultures such as athletes and non-athletes, and north campus and south campus. This forced me to look at the divide between science and art in a new way as I realized just how dramatic the differences in the two cultures could have been. Walking around college campuses, especially UCLA, it is easy to notice that athletes seem to always spend their time with other athletes simply because they share similar interests and schedules. This is how I perceived the division between the cultures of art and science to have been which is evident in Snow's writing as he mentions how he spent his days talking to scientists, and nights speaking to literary colleagues.
ReplyDeletePS- I'm an avid baseball fan and was hoping that we could meet up to talk about your life as a student athlete. Go Bruins!