edited by: ALBERT KIRSCH Boston University Boston. Massachusens 02215
Introduction With the following two papers. "Chemical Bands" really hits its stride. Not only do chemistry and art interact strongly at the technical level, but mMe broadly, as worldviews What does science do. afler all, bur absbact from reality and Wansform what it has absbacted into something mwe profound than mere appearances? Henry Bent says this more eloquently than I, and largely through quotes drawn from artists; he has interpolatedme scientist's worldview throughout (in contrasting italic type), and the similarities are thereby made clear. Jay Young has made muchme same paint. added some differences between science and an, and appended a bibliography which has been considerably abridged in order to fit. To get the full range of Jay's scope. see his complete bibliography in his "Chemistry, A Human Concern," pages 419-423.
Science and the Fine Arts Jay A. Young, Consultant 12916 Allerton Lane, Silver Spring. MD 20904
It is axiomatic that everything is related to everything else and, for those who are interested, the problem is to identify the details of such relationships. What, for example, can he said about the relatedness of an ant hill and a door knob? About a fur covered tea cup and a silicon chip equipped calculator? It would seem to he pointless to try to discover relationships between the members of these two pairs. Although I am not so sure that this would he all that useless, for it is indeed worth looking for relationships between fields of interest that have, separately, engaged the serious attention of large numbers of competent people. Two such fields are science and the fine arts. In general, any two conceptually different fields are related and the relationship can he shown to consist of a series of commonalities and a series of contrasts. To begin, it is helpful to state the purpose of the two fields to be examined: The purpose of science is to satisfy our curiosity ahout natural phenumena. The purpose of the fine arts is to communicate to others the joy (or other emotion) the artist feels.' ~
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Based on these definitions, the commonalities between science and the fine arts can he epitomized by a few key words: imagination, critical judgment, esthetics. These form a bridge joining science and the fine arts. That is, hoth together can be said to share this purpose:
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scientist or artist. Both the scientist and the artist begin hy observing their environment, carefully distinguishing between fact and illusion in what'they observe. The observed facts are then arranged in a kind of order and certain facts are selected from this arrangement. The selection is hased upon a discernihle connection between or amonr the selected facts, or upon a intuitively felt connection that is perhaps not clearly understood a t the moment. The other, unselected facts are relegated to a secondary position. Note that in these actions the critical judgment of the scientist or artist is used. Further, except for the initial observations of the facts and illusions, imagination Adapted, with permission, from "Chemistry, A Human Concern," Chapter 15, Macmillan, New York, 1978. Ohviouslv. these two statements of ouroose are ooen to areument.
is used as the tool to order, to select, and to discern ohvious and intuitive relations hetween and among the facts. In a second step, the scientist or artist uses both the faculty of critical judgment and the faculty of imagination to bring forth some kind of unifying statement (in words, in an equation, in a poem, a painting, a sculpture) that serves to show how all of the selected facts form an integrated, noncontradictory whole. This second step is probably more critical than the first. Those who are neither scientists nor artists can observe, eliminate most illusory information, and put the result into a selective order. If all of the facts selected can he identified readily as consistent with each other, this is the end of action. If some facts are apparently inconsistent, an artistic or scientific creative contribution is necessary to show that the inconsistency is only apparent. The creative act, which is common to both art and science, consists of recognizing that t h c r r isa c ~ l ~ ~ ~ r i land d i ~ ttht ~ ~ii~rtherdisc~vt,rotrt m rl uni t h t the w n t r i r d i c t ~ o nis only !\in2 iclt.:~that ~len~tmsimtec apparent. Some examples will help here. Consider first a masterpiece from the fine arts, Remhrandt's "Aristotle Contemplating the Bust of Homer." The contradictory facts, in this case, can he said to consist of the prohlem of handling light in the work. It is a fact that the pigments in oil paint used by this artist only reflect light; they do not emit light of their own accord. Yet Rembrandt used those pigments in such a way as to "force" those pigments to glow with their own light. This is clearly impossible, yet when you look a t the work itself it has been done.
This feature explores all sorts of connections with chemistry-bonds with other sciences; with society, energy, and the environment: and with philosophy and iiteralure. Albert Klrach is an Assistant Professor at Boston University. He is involved in the Freshman Science program in College of Basic Studies and also teaches accelerated programs in Boston University's Metropolitan College. His previous academic involvement includes teaching at Shimer Colleae. Brookivn Colleoe, and Rice Universi D;."K/rrsch received h;E P ~ . Dfrom , the cityuniversity of New York in 1971 and his B.A. from Columbia University in 1961. He has participated in numerous workshops and short courses including Holography. Enerav - ~ Alternatives. " , ~~.~and the Historv of Phvsical Science. His interest in Chemical Education, the History of Chemistry, and their association with General and Liberal Studies has resulted in his active interaction in these areas. He h a publishedand presented numerous papers which reflect his concerns and interests in these areas. ~
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matter up to now. Volume 58
Number 4
April 1981
329
Or, from t h e history of chemistry, consider t h e problem presented by chlorine. Many years ago i t was "known" t h a t all acids contain oxygen (the word, oxygen, is derived from the French for "essential" and "acid). This is true, of course, for such acids as nitric, acetic, sulfuric, and so on; they d o contain oxveen. It is not true for hsdrochloric acid, we now know, h u t i t &as not known in 1800; a t t h a t time i t was thought t h a t hydrochloric acid was composed of hydrogen, oxygen, and some other element, X. It was possihle then t o separate hydrochloric acid into two components, hydrogen and chlorine. Obviuusly. in IaW, chlorine was w m p u ~ e do i m y r e n and S . Ir was a ..facts' then that chlorine illah 1101 B siniplt. dr;tance. Tht. ultimate a n ~ u c r firit . asserred alx,ut Iblu, rhar all :xidi d o n o t contain oxygen, was made in t h e face of a n apparent contradiction t h a t was quite real t o thoughtful chemists of those days. Or consider a more recent contradiction. At low temperatures, 2K or lower, liquid helium behaves in a n unusual manner. For example, i t flows u p t h e sides of its container, over t h e edge, and down the outside, dripping off the bottom. How is one t o account for this behavior? Today, one explanation involves the emphatic statement that, a t temperatures of about 2K or lower, liquid helium is not composed of atoms; instead i t is a continuum, one "thing," a t those low temperatures. If this theoretical explanation is correct, this perhaps apparent contradiction awaits a creative act t h a t will show t h a t there is no contradiction after all in saying t h a t liquid helium is both atomic and continuous simultaneously. (At present, there are some likely resolutions of this which involve mathematical a n d abstract statements about t h e meaning of a quantum state.) T o find a unifying explanation which demonstrates t h a t a n ilpparenr wntradiction is nor runrrsdictory is imp thing. 'l'hi-. almie is uselcii unless rhr t'indiny can be cmimunicattd tu others. -~ ~~-~ Sn. ~,in the third steo. .. still involvine the imagination hut in a different way, scientists or artists must find a means of relatine their unifvine ideas t o some other ideas t h a t are already well known: 1nUscience this is often accomplished by usine a mathematical eauation. In the fine arts this is usualls accomplished by t h e didposition of pigment on canvas, or of sounds and pitches in music, or by choice of words in poetry. Finally, i n t h e fourth step, what has been communicated t o others is seen t o h e esthetically pleasing. Unless i t is delightful in some way or other, i t is clearly not a work of fine art. Even in science where t h e esthetic beauty is sometimes discernible only t o other scientists, there is a n esthetic aspect which. if not nresent. renders t h e accomolishment suspect. S o far, t h e similarity between science and the fine arts has been oresented. T h e other side of the paradox can he indicated in parallel contrasts: ~
Science
The Fine Arts
Discoveries are often made by intuition and then later found to be logical.
Masterpieces are often conceived intuitively and then materialized by expert technical skill, logically executed. The corresponding tools are rhythm, proportion, harmony. Work of average quality is relatively sterile. The esthetic aspects are often abstract, but they are based upon a physical object (except in most poetry); the beauty is seen directly by the senses.
Mathematics is used as a tool. Work of average quality is often useful. The esthetic aspects are usually abstract. The beauty is expressed indirectly to the senses.
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Journal of Chemical Education
A n important scientific contri- A great work of art cannot he paraphrased later and still bution can he paraphrased later by others with no sepresent the same semantic content; it is forever uniquely mantic loss; only initially it is uniquely associated with the associated with the style of that artist. style of the initiating seien~ tist. Seeks truth about the material Maker sueeestive statements about truth, hoping to stimuuniverse, knowing that such late others toward an internal truth cannot be identified as certitude. such with certainty. Uses symbols to represent reali- Uses symbols to represent reality, permitting their maniputy, manipulating these in prelation in a variety of ways in cise ways in order to provide order to provide new innew insights. sights. A work of art is first experienced A work of science is first under^ and then understood by one stood and thenexperienced by other than the artist. one other than the scientist. An important idea usually arises An important idea usually arises during the period of relative during the period of active inactivity that follows active concentration that follows the saturation with the problem. period of intensive data gath(In this respect, mathematics ering. is like the fine arts.) The value of a scientific state- The meaning of a statement in the fine arts (that is, the work ment depends upon its preeiitself) depends upon its richrim of expression. ness of expression. The symbols used must mean the The symbols can mean different things to different people. same to all. Subjective feelings Emotions, passions, faith, are eliminated, at least in the hope, all play a part in the formal description of the fincompleted statement. ished work. Is concerned with fewer, less in- Is primarily concerned with complex interrelationships. tricate relationships between though often knowingly simand among facts, often knowplified, they are only rarely ingly oversimplified, so that made extremely simple. they can be handled. Requires a satisfactory solution, Insists an a definite result. a pursuit of the spirit. Posits that, in the ultimate, there Demonstrates that there are an endless number of different isonly one harmonious way to ways to see the physical explain the physical world. world. For Further Information Those who would like t o try t o develop their own bridging key words for any two areas along with a description of t h a t commonality and a list of parallel contrasts may wish t o start with the essays in the Propaedia Volume of theEncyclopaedia Britannica, 15thEd., EncyclopaediaBritannica, Inc., Chicago, 1974. Also see: Kmnzherg, M., and Oavenpnrt. W. H. (tid:drtorsl,"Technology and Culture."Schueken Books. New Yurk. 1912.A ollectinn ofcreuiourly ~ u b l i ~ h epepem d ion~miotechnd,~ that provide a varied perspective ion this topic. White, L. L.."Letterfrum aScientist."Lriinordu, li:351 (19731 Oneofthe larterrays by a philosupher, scientist, historian, and investment broker ruilgertin(! that the perspectives of the artist ale nearer to the r e d world than thure of the scientist. Sent. G.S.. "Prernaluiitv and uniouonesr in sc8entiAc discnvery,"Sci. Arnm.227:Pd Dee. 19721. A persuasive exp~ritionofthe ar~ertivnLhat creative usrkr in art and science are uniclue to the oaiticular ariist,x sexentist; without picam,, noone elso w,,uld ever
science and art. str"u1atinil. Hlnshelumd, C. N.. "Fifteenth Eddington Memorial Lecture." Cambridge Uniwrriiy Press. Cambrides. 1961.A chemist's view: our understandin8 of nature is enriched by h&h the and the arb. B e d e y , 0. T:'The lirniti of knuwledge.l( Chemistry. SO: 2 (March 19771. An editorial toshow thatrcience hasnocertitude, nordid iteve. have, nor can it ever. A m1atively rimpie molecule3uch as benzene. withonly 12atoms, never can be comprehended fully even iftheentireunlverso wereonerinele.c"m~loi,intelii~encewhichwar devoted , ts5cience. erclutively 111this task Far the truth, spply , o t h e p < ~ f rnot
