Quote:
Originally Posted by The Black Rabbit  Not sure what conversation bit you are writing about Nigel?!
Yes I'm a scientist, but have always veered towards the artistic side of science. The trouble with that is, the huge majority of scientists are deeply offended by this.
Like you, I draw and paint also, and unlike most scientists, I hope at least, I appreciate many ways of looking at one subject, which are certainly NOT scientific.
This attitude is becoming a disease amongst a big part of the scientific community. A blinkered, beligerent view that science is king, and thats the end of the matter- this locks this wonderful subject into an intellectual closed clique of sorts.
There is no joy in it, no hope, no interest, no wonder - just dull, blinkered, intellectual arrogance.
Worse than all of this, it actually puts the next generation off getting involved and studying (what I consider anyway) to be the most fascinating, mysterious, beautiful subject of them all.
My girlfriend is a head of science at a local secondary school, and I hear year on year that more and more pupils are put off science by the 'geeks and nerds' (many writing books or appearing on television / media) who wish to keep science for themselves.
We will lose the ability (in future generations) to make fascinating new scientific discoveries if this continues - what an awful legacy our present generation of scientists will leave.
I put some of it down to jealousy. Scientists are governed by very stringent rules and procedures - whilst the artists have no such constraints.
Long live science, and long live art.
TBR.
(Blimey, that all just poured out of me this morning - I apologise, but its something I feel very passionate about). |
Hi Black
Rabbit
Its great to hear from a scientist who 'feels' never apologise for that, especially when you are a painter - that's why we paint surely. I work as an architect so I suppose I should appreciate these things but most in the industry don't seem to, nor understand let alone want to endorse it in design terms. ( see the bats bit I put in as explanation)
When I muse over a shaft of light catching some tree or somesuch and comment upon it or go ooh! at the sight of gannets diving into the sea, I sometimes think my wife thinks I am nuts !
I have just come back from a long weekend on the Pembrokeshire coast walking in the rain and wind. Lovely.
I saw walkers ignore seals. Walk past as I was looking at perigrines and choughs. All taking no notice whatsoever ! I can understand if people ignore a little bird such as a wheatear I saw because it is often fleeting and might not register and unless you knew what a chough looks like they could be mistaken for a crow, but two hovering perigrines just a few feet in the air above your head, seals bobbing up in pairs and threes ? ! What is the point of tearing around the cliffs and not seeing I thought !! Peoples attitude to nature never ceases to amaze me.
It's refreshing to exchange views with people of a similar attitude to nature and the environment and it gives one heart that there are people out their who care and this WaB site is full of us I find.