GEOG 495 Bridge the Divide
5/2/2012
Tammy McWilliams Preskitt
An article in Scientific American (Krauss, 2009/39) entitled “An Update on C. P. Snow’s ‘Two
Cultures,’” states that his ‘vision has gone unrealized.’ John Brockman points to a’ Third Culture’ of
scientists who communicate to the public without the services of literary types and to those who choose
to remain scientifically illiterate from the humanities, arts and politics as the vision blockers. Two
reasons for this kind of thinking (acc’d to the author) is 1) the lack of good science teaching in public
schools resulting in scientific illiteracy which does not impact a person who pursues business, politics, or
the arts. 2) Considering science and religious belief as being related and treated as equals.
Krauss ends his article stating that “Snow did not rail against religion, but ignorance…only vague
notions of God that may be compatible with science ensure that God is essentially irrelevant to both our
understanding of nature and our actions based on it. Until we are willing to accept the world the way it
is, without miracles that all empirical evidence argues against, without myths that distort our
comprehensions of nature, we are unlikely to bridge the divide between science and culture…we are
unlikely to be fully ready to address the urgent technical challenges facing humanity.”
In the four years I have been at WOU, I am required to take science courses and courses from
the humanities to help round out my base of knowledge and give me a foundation to build upon for an
elementary education degree. In none of these courses have I heard about this great divide between
natural science and the humanities. Nor has there been a discussion concerning the ‘kind of sciences’
(Castree pg 76) that enter into a discipline. Only in this class is it being referred to. Based on this
experience, it looks as if contemporary geography has not bridged the gap enough to make it important
for universities to address this in their curriculum so all students become apprised of it.
In the education program, I have taken classes on how to teach science and social studies.
Much was said about neither discipline having a respected enough position in government decrees to be
seriously included in the testing, rating, and funding of the NCLB which has greatly impacted what is
taught in the classrooms of elementary and high schools. Language arts and mathematics hold the
highest positions in value. We are taught how to meet the standards and how to work these two
subject areas into our lessons. What is not addressed is how to think about the natural sciences and the
humanities in order to bridge this gap C. P. Snow identified.
In teaching, we do address some geographical concepts when we are evaluating the district,
community and specific school we will be teaching in. We look at the demographics of the area to gain
an understanding of where our students come from, socioeconomic level, and household configurations,
to name a few. We also look at the services and connections provided within the immediate community
for supplies, medical services, existing and potential partnerships, and identify available resources to
meet needs of students. This is more than data entry, although it is needed. It has to do with meeting
human needs and growing educated and responsible adults “to be fully ready to address the urgent
technical challenges facing humanity.”
In my opinion, Krauss’ ending quote demonstrates his own inability to bridge the gap because
he has a world view opposed to a Christian world view. One who holds a Christian world view is unable
to meet him where he wants to meet—within the walls of his own understanding of the world. Just as
Caesars’ coinage had his image imprinted on it, it stood to reason that it belonged to Caesar, so mankind
is made in the image of the Creator. It stands to reason that nature belongs to the One who created it.
1) To get to truth, one needs to incorporate all the parts…there is a relationship between science and
religion…but can we meet there; world views starting at different places?
2) How can education in the elementary and high schools of our nation build a bridge between natural
science and humanities? This may be my research question. What do you think?