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Anonymous
Anonymous asked in Arts & HumanitiesOther - Arts & Humanities · 1 decade ago

Do the arts and literature really matter?

What does a novel contribute to society other than entertainment? What does a canvass provide besides "oohs" and "awes"?

Mathematics, bio-engineering, medicine, etc, on the other hand DO produce vital things for humanity's benefit.

In other words, Science and Technology triumphs over the Arts and Literature. We don't need the latter.

Agree or disagree?

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    I disagree, at least to a point.

    This analysis contains at least three mistakes:

    First, it has a relatively narrow focus on what counts as "vital." Getting food to eat and curing illness are certainly vital. But so is comfort in the face of death, courage in the face of danger, compassion in the face of conflict. Without these things, life becomes empty and terrible. Are they not vital? But we cannot get them from technology.

    Second, even if we assume that only such things as "survival" are "vital," the argument is still mistaken. Technology allows us to invent a nuclear bomb. What is is that prevents us from using it against an enemy? Not technology itself, nor fear of destruction -- rather our sense of right and wrong. This comes from philosophy and religion -- but these things are inseperable from art and literature.

    Third, even if we assume that we can ignore the ethical constraints on the use of science and technology, the argument is still mistaken because science and technology do not develop in a vaccuum. Scientific breakthroughs are the result of nimble, curious minds. These minds are inspired and trained through numerous methods, and literature and art are vital -- especially in the context of allowing the mind to think "outside the box" and see new possibilities.

    Source(s): Logic, experience, and some reading in philosophy.
  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    It concerns, yet provided that the paintings and literature is stable and has meaning. ought to you think of a international without "The courageous New international" or without George Orwell's"1984". Or what would state well being secure practices be without "The Jungle"? Then there is "Frankenstein". A e book that has haunted us morally because of the fact it substitute into written approximately how technological information would nicely be risky whilst omit used. Forcing us to question the ethic's of what we invent. Then there are the excellent artistic endeavors from the Renaissance and how they enriched our lives and hundreds of thousands upon hundreds of thousands of alternative lives by the previous few centuries. Humanity is able to easily approximately something. music, paintings and literature are in many cases the source of humanities maximum excellent source. notion.

  • libby
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago

    Arts and literature represent the soul of humanity. It is a personal and indepth study of humanity: its beauty, its ugly foibles, its hope, its dreams and its unique place in the world of all living things.

    The inspiration to achieve greatness comes from art and literature. Without this development of humanity and the soul, the sciences would still be undiscovered and we would be mere animals still existing in a cave.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    The Arts provide a release valve for the viewer, listener, & reader to avoid "burnout". There are various channels for those w/ artistic tendencies to express themselves, & there are just as many different people looking to be taken away from it all for a time by those artistic expressions. You'd have to either be artistic, or have an appreciation for art (in any form) to understand.

    For me, it's music. I sing & write, as well as listen. ~:)>

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  • 1 decade ago

    disagree. both are important. maths and medicine and engineering, as u said, is vital for the nations development and health and well-fare

    but arts and literature extend ur mind's limits and aloows u to paractice ur hobbies

  • 1 decade ago

    Art reflects life and inspiration , it gives us a peak into the mind of others , therefore helping us to relate to them.

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