State of the Art Technology – Judy, Grade 11

State of the Art Technology – Judy, Grade 11

This persuasive essay is written by one of my grade 11 students. She persuasively argues that art and science, contrary to the popular belief, are not two distinct spheres. She has successfully applied the rhetorical appeals to persuade the readers. The rhetorical devices, the vivid imagery, the literary devices, and the occasional second-person perspective have made it all a very convincing essay.

State-of-the-Art Technology

Art and science are often believed to be two independent spheres. In this rigid dichotomy, science is perceived as the practical sphere of discovering facts, where the main driving force is logical reasoning and the scientific method, while art is perceived as the realm of fantasy, quixotic beauty, and abstraction. Scientists are the ones whose output enhances our lives, while artists squander their time on some impractical delicacies that humanity can easily dispense with. Students are fed the belief that science majors are the diligent and intelligent ones, while art majors are outcasts and loafers. However, a brief look at the history of science or art will attest to the symbiotic relationship that has existed between the two entities since the emergence of humanity.

To clarify the exact relationship between science and art, I wish to draw an analogy. The relationship between science and art is similar to the relationship between peanut butter and jelly. Neither one is better than the other, but the combination of the two makes a perfect breakfast sandwich. Creaminess from peanut butter complements the sweetness from jelly; in the same vein, the knowledge developed in science complements the insight derived from art.

We have a natural tendency to think dichotomously and arrive at simplistic conclusions. This is why we tend to divide science and art and try to attach some value to either one, concluding that one has to be more valuable than the other. However, things are not just black or white, they are often a mixture of both. In the modern world, most people believe that science is more important than art, forgetting the interdependence between the two. Similar to the two sides of a coin, they have always coexisted. Art is not some negligible, dispensable entity tagging along science. It is the mixture of both art and science that allows the enrichment of humanity.

I have also been taught the same mindset by my parents, who believe that art is unnecessary, absurd, and useless. The environment that I have grown up in also makes me believe that STEM majors, which include fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, are the only way to go because they are more important. But, what I have come to realize is how STEM majors are not just science, but also art. I had the great fortune to see our misconceptions about science and art at an early age, understanding how imagination and creativity in art is the basis of scientific innovations.

About a month ago, I began to work on a research project examining the theories behind Heron’s Fountain created by Alexandria, a Greek geometer and inventor. I found a number of professional papers that try to examine the scientific theories related to pressure and water flow. Although these theories clearly demonstrate how the fountain works, they were nonexistent at the time the structure was built. I realized that Alexandria must have taken a different approach to designing the structure. As I researched more about the designer, I realized that he used creativity, intuition, and imagination to build the structure. Although he has a completely different interpretation of the structure, his results were the same as the results represented by scientific notations that we use nowadays. This shows that one could arrive at the same result regardless of the approach taken, and oftentimes great inventions are created when art and science are used at the same time. Therefore, creativity, intuition, and imagination are the pillar of art and consequently science.

Einstein, the greatest physicist of all times, also believed in the coexistence between science and art. His ingenious ideas, such as the theory of relativity, came from his imagination and intuition, and music was the main driving force behind his creative idea. The famous thinker stated, “Science and art tend to coalesce in esthetics…The greatest scientists are artists as well.” Leonardo Da Vinci is another figure that history kindly remembers as a brilliant artist and inventor. He is known for his technical ingenuity for conceptualizing flying vehicles, uncovering anatomy, and discovering civil engineering. Even though his designs were not based on mathematical calculations, they seemed very plausible scientifically. Modern science has already proven that his ideas were scientifically accurate. Looking at his creative and imaginative designs, it is hard to tell whether they originated from art or science, which proves that art and science complements one another.

Similarly, science is also the basis for great art. When we examine the best arts of all times, we can clearly see how science plays a role in their making. Astonishing pieces of art created by Pablo Picasso express the universe of geometry ideology. The Egyptian Pyramids, one of the most astonishing architectural pieces in history, narrate the complex designs involving architectural geometry. Eiffel Tower, one of the most beautiful pieces of architectural designs, recounts the most amazing elements in civil engineering. Rothko Canvas remarks the golden ratio, one of the most astonishing mathematical discoveries.

The separation of arts and science is a fundamentally flawed phenomenon. Art does not undermine science, nor does science downplay the importance of art. These two concepts are highly dependent on each other. Art and science are inherently two attuned concepts that function in synchrony. Great technologies are not only made up of highly developed computer codes or mathematical concepts but also from creative ideas and imaginations. Even students in STEM majors are recommended broadening their artistic abilities through taking an art-related course or developing artistic hobbies.

Art is the drive behind science, it is the apple that fell on Newton’s head. Science is not just about logic, patterns or schemes, but creative thinking that allows us to question the status quo, just like how Galileo denied that the earth was flat and how Darwin denied religious views on evolution. If all that fails to persuade you that science and art are intertwined entities, then what does state-of-the-art technology in the English language actually mean?