in defence of the Arts
Society has many facets and while a world run on engineering terms with a belief system based on science would be wonderfully efficient, it would also be incredibly tedious. I don't think we can relegate the Arts and Humanities to being hobbies; culture needs... well... culture. Also, there's a lot of interesting cross-fertilisation between the Arts and the Sciences that is ripe for exploration, although I draw the line at anything using the words "performativity" or "installation".

I see the argument that Arts/Humanities subjects are less "useful", but that only applies if you regard those subjects as having less of a contribution to society in general. I think society needs them, though we could probably cull a few Art Historians.

I'm fortunate/cursed to have spent my academic career moving back and forwards between Arts Faculties and Engineering Faculties (which, of course, makes this post incredibly biased in favour of interdiscplinarity). Sure, I've met people in the Arts and Humanities who haven't a clue about logic or rigourous thinking. I've also met scientists who don't have the first notion about theory or reasoning or any kind of abstraction. I'm seen as either "the geek who makes computers work" or "the person who does fluffeh stuff, not real computer science". Our day will come though... er, please may I have a new job?
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Sat 19 Apr 2008, 15:17, Reply)