Focusing on “just the facts” may be detrimental to our future
Chances are, that as a student, you consider yourself a creature of the sciences or the arts. Some aspect of how you define yourself comes from the discipline that you feel most comfortable in. This “separation” between disciplines did not reflect my experience. Taking both microbiology and philosophy through the Bachelor of Arts and Sciences program has, in my opinion, allowed me to understand both the sciences and the arts better. However, a common reaction to what I studied is something along the lines of “that seems like an odd combination.” I often wonder why this is the case. Should ethical values, logic, and a comprehensive understanding of what it is to be human — all learned during the course of a philosophy degree — not necessarily play some role in our understanding of science? I think this is especially so for the many science students here on campus. A well-rounded education is not only a good idea, but may even be critical to their role in the future of science as a discipline.
Science is not simply a slew of facts to be memorized or even applied; a science degree ought to provide students with the tools they need to innovate, discover, and create.
Many great innovators that some would cite as the inspiration for their love of science can be described as well-rounded individuals:
- Leonardo da Vinci was a talented engineer, but his list of documented interests covers just about every subject there is.
- Albert Einstein, aside from developing the theory of relativity, was a gifted musician, and once said that “the greatest scientists are artists as well.”
- Sir Isaac Newton, often credited with the invention of calculus and the discovery of universal gravitation, was also an accomplished author of philosophy and theology.
It’s easy to think that what these individuals possessed was a kind of unteachable talent, reserved for the great thinkers and doers of our time. While this may be partially true, this assumption could also be problematic and could stall further development of interdisciplinary intelligence in ourselves today.
It’s still common to find science students who view their arts and social sciences electives as chores, or worse, as GPA boosters. In reality, these electives are opportunities to be exposed to more than just the bare minimum and to learn about the ways in which disciplines overlap. Becoming too comfortable in our specializations limits our appreciation for knowledge. It stops us from going beyond what is required or expected and from participating in true curiosity. Also, history teaches us that science hasn’t always gotten it right. As we progress, old ways of seeing the world become obsolete. Hypotheses, once accepted as fact, are revised. The evolving nature of science is not something that can be avoided, nor should it be; but it should also not be forgotten. Questioning science means more than simply checking the facts themselves. Scientists should also have the obligation to question the implications that these facts may have on our daily lives. Science students — presumably, future scientists — should have some interest in ethics and social justice. Although this may not be what they feel comes naturally to them, ethical thinking and social values need to be essential components of scientific education and advancement. This interdisciplinary approach to scientific learning can give students the tools and the language they need to maintain the innovative nature of science. Philosophy and ethics are of vital importance to all disciplines, but particularly to science degrees. In fact, this kind of thinking was not even separated from science in the past. Scientists, once called natural philosophers, have the job of theorizing, modeling, and finding things out about the world. This is the same job description of a philosopher, but in addition to this, philosophy also teaches strong critical thinking skills, logic, justification, and argument. It provides evidenced hypotheses about what it means to be human, beyond biology.
Science students, and those from adjacent disciplines, should not hesitate to take a course in philosophy, or any arts subject. Rather, such courses should be a welcomed and expected component of the degree a student has chosen. As university students, our reality arrives quickly. That reality is a future for the world that is partially within our control. To be best equipped for a future of our own scientific discoveries, we must recognize that the best outcome may only be possible with the redevelopment and normalization of a multi-perspective intelligence.