Blog #15

Barclay: [Topic] Both Yo-Yo Ma and Jonah Lehrer advocate for the importance of art in today’s world. [IQ1] In “Necessary Edges: Arts, Empathy, and Education”, Ma argues the significance of integrating the arts within our education. He worries that in the current industrial world we are living in, we are losing our ability to think empathetically. [Q1] According to Ma, “empathy comes when you understand something deeply through arts and literature and can thus make unexpected connections. These parallels bring you closer to things that would otherwise seem far away. Empathy is the ultimate quality that acknowledges our identity as one human family.” [EQ1] These “unexpected connections” that Ma refers to are the multiple points of view we can discover through the variety of art forms, which in turn leads to new ideas. These new ideas lead directly to innovation, which would not have been possible without empathetic thinking. [IQ2] Lehrer develops Ma’s argument by claiming that art allows us to think beyond reason and make sense of the unknown, especially in science. [Q2] He explains that “it’s clear that solving the deepest mysteries of the brain-what the philosopher David Chalmers calls ‘the hard questions of consciousness’- will require a new scientific approach, one that is able to incorporate the wisdom of the arts. [EQ2] According to Lehrer, art will offer a new perspective because they exceed what is thought possible of reality. [Analysis/Transition] It is vital to bring together the arts and sciences as it is the only way in which ideas surrounding each can be exchanged with one another. When they become intertwined, critical and empathetic reasoning are linked together creating a balance between thought processes that allow us to answer questions addressing the unknowns.

TREAC: [Topic] Science leaves behind unanswered questions because it does not go beyond the scope of reason. [Restriction] Art has the ability to open up new perspectives as it sheds a light on the emotions and thoughts felt by others, building a common understanding amongst ourselves. [Evidence] Jonah Lehrer writes “The art revealed the fissures in everything, turning the solidity of matter into a surreal blur.” [Analysis] Art can uncover the deeper and hidden meanings in what seems likes the obvious. It goes beyond the literal interpretation, opening up our minds to look at the unknow from a different point of view as art showcases the connections between the physical and mental worlds of ourselves.