Literature and science

Literature and Science

(By Pashmeen Kaur ) 

Image By:- Sandeep

“Science and literature are not two things, but two sides of one thing.” by Thomas Huxley. Science and Literature are said to be two sides of the same coin though they have their fair share of dissimilarities. Science is defined as ‘the intellectual and practical activity encompassing the systematic study of the structure and behaviour of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment’. Literature is defined as an art form or any single writing deemed to have artistic or intellectual value and sometimes deploys language in ways that differ from ordinary usage. From the two distinct definitions of science and literature, we can distinguish that science has more to do with reason, logic, observation, and experiments while literature is made of creativity and imagination.

Similarities:

Though they are distinctly different from each other, yet we cannot separate them completely. They exist with each other just like the two sides of the same coin. Science and Literature are correlated and interdependent upon each other. Every Scientific study needs a language or literature and the art of performing those experiments. Both need deep observation of the world around us. While Literature is also a Science of putting facts or fiction in a scientific way so that it appears more interesting and convincing. They can be related together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. We have both their existence on our school curriculum as both of them are essential in our growth and development. Learning just one aspect and leaving the other, does not lead to the full development of our mind. A scientist can be good with poetry and vice versa. They do not have to be exclusive. 

Dissimilarities:

Science deals with facts and logic. Nothing can be accepted by science which does not have facts proving it. Every axiom of science requires proof in order to be called a theorem. It does not accept anything which does not have proof supporting it. Science does not allow the imagination of our own. Everything is practical in science. On the other hand, literature allows us to have a world of our own. We can create our own thoughts and fantasies. Our work of art does not need to be true for the world. Imagination lays the foundation of literature. We have authors writing about imaginary towns and its people. We have our own safe place when we write. We create our own world through the art of writing where we make things happen according to our wish. On the other hand, science allows us to know the unknown. Things that exist in the universe, but are still not known to humankind, science allows us to unravel those skills through logic, experimentation, and observation. Science allows us to know the unknown and sharpen our logical and practical skills. Literature hones our creative skills. Though science and literature sharpen different aspects of our brain, yet they are intertwined together. We need to first imagine a thing that does not exist and then make observations and experimentation to discover them. Similarly for literature, we always take reference of science and the practical world while creating a piece, then, we mould the piece according to our imagination. They are the two inseparable parts.

Stigmas:

In our country, we have social stigmas surrounding science and literature. Science is always given a higher status as compared to literature. Parents always encourage their children to build a career in science, hardly have we seen the same encouragement when their child decides to be a poet. Students taking up science are respected among relatives as persons with grey matter in their brains. While students pursuing literature are pitied. Whenever we hear someone from a literature background, he is surrounded by the social stigma that he was not a good student at school. Arts or literature is never a preferred stream among many in our country. These social shackles need to be got rid of. Literature has nothing to do with less intellect nor does science promote a high intellectual skill. Both of them require different skills and it should be up to the students to decide whether they will like to choose their creative skills or logical skills for their future careers. These social stigmas need to end for good.

Science and Literature go hand in hand together. We can allow both of them to exist simultaneously. A science student can be a great lover of poetry. Similarly, a poet can love reading science journals. We can never choose one over the other exclusively. We need to let both of them be a part of our life. After all, this is the reason why both are taught to us in schools.  Creativity and logic together make us grow into a more intellectual person. As the poem goes about science and literature being intertwined together,

Science grows and beauty dwindles.

Roofs of slated hideousness

Art and Grace are less and less.

 

 

Disclaimer:-

The opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts and opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of Light de Literacy and LDL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.