0PRESENTER: ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our TV show, The dominant truth.

Today were going to talk about Science and Art. And the question of the day is would you
prefer your child to study Arts or science subjects ? Well, today were going to ask this
question to our two special guests: professor Smith , a scientist and Mr Ashton, an artist .
Please say welcome to our dear guests. So Mr Smith, I would like to start with you . Could
you please tell me , according to you , is it better for a child to study science or art subjects ?

Mr Smith: First of all I want to thank you for inviting me to this lovely show .
PRESENTER: youre so welcome sir. Mr Smith: well, I believe that children should study
science subjects instead of art . art is such a waste of time . Its useless. Mr Ashton: well,
there is nothing more useless than studying mathematics. Tell me , Have you ever used a
compass in real life? Or this famous square root of 2 ! Have you ever needed it to buy
something? Of course not ! Maths is a waste of time, not arts ! And what about science? we
can visit our doctor any time we need help anyway . Mr Smith: you must be kidding me,
right ? Studying science and maths equips students with essential skills that will make them
very employable, be that in a scientific or non-scientific arena. Science enables the student to
become more confident in numeracy, gaining proficiency with figures and calculations that
will prove invaluable when it comes to future employment. And maths within science is
more than just putting numbers into formulae; it involves analyzing data and understanding
trends in the same way that businesses might examine market data or sales figures. Mr

ashton: maybe , but art has its benefits too. The quality of civilization can be measured by
the breadth of symbols used. We need words, music, dance and the visual arts to give
expression to the profound urgings of the human spirit. Now more than ever, all people need
to see clearly, hear acutely and feel sensitively through the arts. These languages are no longer
simply desirable but are essential if we are to convey adequately our deepest feelings, and
survive with civility and joy. Mr Smith : The modern world is a scientific world. The
industrial revolution was spurred on by scientific discoveries: from the middle of the
eighteenth century, there were huge advances made in manufacturing, mining, agriculture,
transport, and technology. The very concept of technology was formulated during this period.
We are imbued with achievements from this period of history even today: whether you are
walking down the street, or sitting in the comfort of your home, you cannot cast your eyes
about more than a few degrees, before they alight on some captivating cynosure, some piece
of technology that would have been but the dream of poets past. The light bulb, the computer,

antibiotics, and the automobile these were once dreams that only by the power of science
have been made reality; and they are so commonplace, so ubiquitous that we think nothing of
them. Who can know what wondrous delights the future holds? Consider things commonplace
today, that our great grandparents would surely have regarded as sorcery; and now imagine
the world of our great grandchildren we cannot predict the glittering, phantasmagorical
splendor it will be draped with, but thanks to science, we may live long enough to see this
future for ourselves. Mr Smith : A growing body of studies, including those in the research
compendium Critical Links, presents compelling evidence connecting student learning in the
arts to a wide spectrum of academic and social benefits. These studies document the habits of
mind, social competencies and personal dispositions inherent to arts learning. Additionally,
research has shown that what students learn in the arts may help them to master other
subjects, such as reading, math or social studies. Students who participate in arts learning
experiences often improve their achievement in other realms of learning and life. In a welldocumented national study using a federal database of over 25,000 middle and high school
students, researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles found students with
high arts involvement performed better on standardized achievement tests than students with
low arts involvement. Moreover, the high arts-involved students also watched fewer hours of
TV, participated in more community service and reported less boredom in school. Presenter
: Mr.Smith and Mr.Ashton , you both have right of what you have said . The arts and science
are often thought of as polar opposites. But Combining arts and science in the curriculum
could be the answer. From science, students learn about sound methods for testing
hypotheses, and about interpreting and drawing valid conclusions from data. From arts, they
will also learn about developing arguments, and about understanding, moving, and changing
the minds of diverse audiences. There are double and combined degrees already on offer. But
there is a great potential for them to be better improving students' employment prospects
and fostering new skills in the space between speciality areas. So what about being agreed
at this point dear guests ? Mr. Smith & Mr. Ashton : absolutely Mr. John .