Assess The Concept Of The Two Culture

Outline the concept of the ‘Two Cultures’. To what extent, if any, is it relevant today?
Introduction:
The “Two Cultures” are commonly known to be the arts and the sciences and it is the lack of communication and understanding between the two disciplines which defines the concept of this ongoing debate. It has posed many questions over time in various discussions and publications regarding the education system and the progression of science. In my essay I will explore the extent to which the “Two Cultures” has relevance in today’s society.
An outline of the Two Cultures:
We could argue that despite the idea of the “Two Cultures” being associated mainly with C.P. Snow’s publication, his ideas originated from those explored in 1880 by T.H. Huxley
This prompted the most significant opposition to Snow’s work in 1962 when F.R. Leavis released a critique which strongly disagreed with his authority and ideas. The way in which Leavis went about his critique was extremely controversial, it turned out to be more of an attack on Snow personally rather than on his ideas of the Two Cultures. Leavis undermined Snow’s scientific and literary background claiming he had no foot to stand on when discussing both the arts and sciences as a failed scientist and unsuccessful author. (Hall, 1997, pp 145-148) Leavis’ claimed that his main aim through his critique was to ensure that those making claims, such as Snow had, had the authority to do so. He believed that the British public at the time were uneducated and that those in positions of power were as a result of economic affluence. (Hall, 1997, pp 152-155) Leavis wanted people with authority to be capable of making decisions and, in order to be so, would have to be substantially qualified in both science and
As genetically modified organisms are becoming more widespread there is a battle between scientists and humanists on where to draw the line. The huge benefits that genetically modified organisms could reap mean that extensive research is still carried out and funding continues to be put in. For example, the Human Genome Project conducted from 1990-2003, marked the first successful sequencing of the human genome. This breakthrough led to many ethical questions being raised, although this new science had the potential to shed new light on the medical sciences, it brought with it a concern that it would create new kinds of discrimination. However, if humanists had the knowledge that scientists had they would understand the risk of discrimination is small as it would be too complex to create genetic tests for human traits which are heavily influenced by the environment. (Henderson, 2013) This does not mean there are no ethical issues arising from genetic engineering however, it does mean that if humanists are misinformed this could lead to money being wasted on issues which don’t match up with the science. This again signals the ever-increasing gulf between the two cultures with those on either end of the debate unable to understand the opposition. The challenges faced by society, with such a rapid advance in science and technology, cannot be answered by science alone. It becomes crucial for