Week 1: Two Cultures

The most immediate example of the combination of art and science is the prevalence of Apple products I see throughout the day. Apple, a technology company, mainly focuses its effort on the scientific progression of modern life. However, Apple is successful and very well known in part due to it's careful attention to the artistic side of their product creation. After all, Steve Job’s was once quoted in 2010 saying “It's in Apple's DNA that technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with the humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing”(Johnson 2011). For instance, the iPod made Apple explode economically -  but they weren’t the first company to pioneer a digital music player. MP3 players and walkmans had been around for years prior to the iPods release. It was the beautiful and simplistic structure of the device that made it so widely popular. To this day, Apple still creates products infused with art and science to fulfill a balance that keeps consumers loyal for years. C.P. Snow’s perspective in his piece, “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution” reflects the idea that science and art are of two separate worlds. While I agree they are distinctly separated, I beleive Apple’s success shows the validity of Snow’s other topic “third culture” which infuses both worlds.

The ideas and perspectives of Apple have greatly benefitted not only me but millions of people around the world. The ability to create scientifically advanced products while also maintaining a beautiful design helps to progress the tech market which benefits the consumers.

Below are a few examples of Apple products that were not pioneers in their repsective markets (mp3 player, tech watch, desktop) but they were successful because of their aesthetics.



Johnson, Steven. “Marrying Tech and Art.” Wall Street Journal. 2011.  Web. 3 April, 2016.

Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print.

Watch, Apple. 2015. Photograph. Web. 03 April 2016. http://www.theverge.com/2015/10/5/9454057/apple-watch-hermes-now-available

iPod, Original. 2009. Photograph. Web. 03 April 2016. http://gizmodo.com/5341792/apple-still-selling-the-original-ipod-for-130

Evolution of iMac. 2013. Photograph. Web. 03 April 2016. http://www.highsnobiety.com/2012/10/24/the-evolution-of-the-imac-from-1998-to-today/


Comments

  1. Nice! Apple is definitely something that kept popping up in my mind as I was reflecting on the idea of art and science being 'infused' together. I agree that Job's unwavering focus on the artistic side of technology, along with scientific progress, is what drove Apple to become what it is today.

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  2. It's smart to bring up Steve Job's words which we received in email. Apple products are the great example of the combination of art and science. However, I think this blog miss some content with UCLA and own experiences.

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  3. I agree with your statement that one of the reasons for Apple products’ success is because of their “careful attention to the artistic side...". Speaking of artistic side, I find it interesting that almost every artists that I met uses some kind of Apple product (iPhone, Macbook, etc). I can’t really guess why they use MAC over Window except for its minimal aesthetic. I am sure that there are tiny differences that I am not aware of. But from my own experience, I don’t find much difference when I use Adobe suite programs in MAC and Window!

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  4. I really like how you used apple as an example of a modern combination between art and science; Steve Jobs and Apple really brought so much art to their product as they worked to create a user friendly experience, from the aesthetic of the products to the simplicity of their functions. I also really like the photos you chose to share, they capture what you are trying to say quite well!

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  5. When Steve Jobs formally dropped from college, he began dropping into classes that he was interested in rather than were required. In one of his speeches, he mentioned he dropped into a calligraphy course and the aesthetic beauty of apple products would not exist without that college course. Apple is an interesting example that merges technology and artistic beauty.

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  6. Nice, I talked about the apple products as well. I like how you approached them though on technology side as well as the artistic beauty. I focused on the collaboration of the voice not necessarily the style. Your photos are great as well! Great Job

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