Many would argue that the sciences play a more significant role in our lives than the arts do. It is not wrong to say that science has indeed made humongous differences to mankind, and that without science things would not have been the way it is today. However, I have to say that the arts are equally, if not, more significant to mankind than science is.
Science’s Significance
To begin with, science is vital in shaping the society we live in today. Take the advancements in transport for example, with horses and legs being the most common form of travel back then to today’s forms of travel by flight, land and sea. The elevated convenience better transport has brought to our lives has caused an imminent difference to society.
The common mode of railway transport in the early 19th century used to be by a Steam Locomotive that runs at a speed of 8km/h. As compared to now where Japan’s Bullet Train, Shinkansen, runs at an impressive speed of 320km/h, the contrast in speed is evident. What was unimaginable then is now possible with the evolution of science.
What’s more, it is thanks to science that more people could be cured of diseases once thought to be deadly. With early detection, people can change their lifestyles to prevent these diseases from surfacing. Diseases like cancer and cardiovascular diseases, where cardiovascular diseases was said to be the leading cause of death globally of about 32% in 2019 by the World Health Organisation, could be prevented with early detection.
Medical equipment aiding doctors in detecting these diseases evolve over time with science as well. Equipment like Computerized Tomography scan (CT scan), which in a study conducted by Johns Hopkins University comparing between CT angiograms and stress testing for diagnostic accuracy, the former emerged victorious with a 96% compared to the latter of just 80%, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) helped in the detection by sharpening accuracy and thus, saving more lives.
With all these noble feats science has done for humanity, how can art compare?
Art’s Significance
According to the Cigna 360 Well-being Survey in 2019, 92% of employed respondents in Singapore are stressed which is much higher than the global average of 84%. Art can be a form of relaxation and stress-reliever. Studies show a dip in cortisol levels, a hormone that appears in high levels when people are stressed, when people engage in art related activities.
In a quasi-experimental study investigating the impact of visual arts making on cortisol levels of 39 adults, results show that cortisol levels ranges from 32.40 ng/ml to 5.05 ng/ml pre-test and 25.00 ng/ml to 5.01 ng/ml post-test. Amidst a society that stops for no one, stress is forever building up and it is safe to say art is one of those ways to diminish stress. That is something science is unable to do.
Art is also a form of motivator. After long days of mundane daily life, you’d want to have a rather by viewing or experiencing something new and different. Art provides you with that leeway. When you delve deep into creative interpretations of art pieces or music or when you bring yourself to a different universe by visiting heritage sites on holidays or places of unrealistic scenery. All these are in one form or another, Art. These become motivators for some to carry on with life and one day be able to experience these art.
However, why is it widely believed that the Science is more important than the Arts to humanity? With science alone, the earth will still be a better place to live in. That much is true, but will one really be living and not surviving? What about the worldly joy brought by art? The museums, heritage sites, music and so much more. In my opinion, life would ultimately be a bore without the blessing of art. Today, science and art go hand in hand. The computer games you indulge in, the art installations at exhibitions and even music production in a studio. It is all executed with the help of both art and science combined.
So ultimately, I pose the question back to you: Is the Arts more significant to mankind than the Sciences?
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