The Sciences or the Humanities?

From The Blue Sweater, posted 31 August 2009

This is one of the great debates in academia. For a very long time intellectuals and thinkers have been thinking of the differences between the natural sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences, and the debate is still ongoing.

I’m no academic authority, but I do have some thoughts of my own based on my (albeit limited) experience and knowledge of the differences between the sciences and the humanities.

It was a pretty ordinary after-lesson chat (and lunch), and a friend and I discussed the issues between the humanities and the sciences (among other somewhat unrelated topics), and how these differences relate to us.

Actually, there are similarities. Both make use of systematic methods in the process of generating knowledge and understanding.
But then, what are the differences?

I think the most important difference is that the sciences seek knowledge that is absolute, that is universal in nature, while the humanities look for the general in the particular, since the nature of the subject matter – humans – are difficult to predict and are changeable over time.

This brings me to my thought for today: are the differences between the sciences and the humanities critical? Are there costs if one made the switch from one to the other?

In the chat with my friend today, the answer seemed to be: “Maybe”.

I was a science student in secondary school. I took double pure science (physics and chemistry), along with double math (Additional and Elementary). It’s a combination that prepared me for a track in science education at the post secondary level.

But when my O level results came, I decided to make the switch. Instead of opting for the Science stream in JC, I’ve decided to go to Arts instead. The reason? Sheer realism (well, my math was horrible though I did fine for my sciences, but it was my Combined Humanities score that made the crucial difference). I remembered my teachers were quite flabbergasted at my decision, but looking at my humanities grade, they (kind of) let me be.

What my friend felt about the switch was that it would be difficult if one did not have the foundations in language. The humanities require a certain command of language since it’s reading and writing intensive. Being well-read and having a strong ability to express oneself is essential for a good performance in the Arts stream.

I thought: “You have a point”. After all, I do realize that I still have some weaknesses in this respect (since my friend told me I was the first ex-debater she’s out-debated, but, well, that’s beside the point. Anyway, debaters debate and get out-debated all the time).

What I do agree with, is that it does take a bit to adapt to the “switch”, if I can call it this way. It did take me a while to master the reading and writing skills necessary.

Since I was from a science background in secondary school, taking on Arts meant taking on a different set of reading material, adopting a different mode of thinking, and to be able to express my case. To be honest, it was difficult at times.

What happened next? I joined the debate society in JC. Debate taught me how to read, how to write, and most important, how to think in the Arts and Social Sciences way.

So to be out-debated was, well, quite expected really, since I knew I was the “late-bloomer” in debate, plus the fact that my JC didn’t have a strong debating culture in the first place.

But then again, since I did survive (or I wouldn’t have made it to NUS), that means there is no real cost in making the switch. It’s “maybe” for this reason. It’s good to start early, but there seems to be no real difference between early and late.

What could it be then? Maybe it’s the attitude, the willingness to put in more. Maybe it’s the training I had in debate, which taught me the skills and stimulated my mind.

So, the sciences or the humanities? I say: “Follow your heart (or your grades).” I know my heart’s with the humanities.