Why do scientists need to read poems? Because they need to study the science of poetry; the effects of reading poetry; what it does to humans. In order for scientists to study the effects of poetry, I would guess they probably need to read a few poems, at the very least.
Here is the main reason why scientists need to read poetry, however:
A little poetry here and there is valuable for everyone. Finding the perfect poem that speaks to you the most is even more valuable, as one can look to read it whether happy or sad. My guess is that not a lot of scientists read poetry or have a favorite poem to look back to. My father for example, a scientist himself, doesn’t read literature of that sort. Literature in newspapers, historical accounts, and technology is the only kind that appeals to him. Simply put, he likes literature that states facts. I am not saying that that is the case with every scientist, but it is pretty common I would say. Scientists care about the facts and what they can prove based on those facts; they are literal. Poetry is not. A poem can be vaguely depicted where the reader can make their own assumptions and associate those assumptions with their emotions.
So why do scientists need to read poetry? Because they need to easen up a bit and not just strive for facts. They need to see the essence of life through poetry and be less literal. Yes, some scientists may actually be studying the life of humans/animals, but it is not necessarily in a spiritual way like poetry, the basic way to understanding life.
By: Panos Voulgaris
You seem to have abandoned it somewhat, but I like the idea that you started to develop in the first paragraph. It's interesting the way you sort of frame poetry in "their terms" (as if they are some kind of alien) as a kind of valuable social experiment rather than the effects on an individual in the scope of their life and happiness. Branching off from that, I think there's another way you could have looked at poetry from a scientist's perspective; It reflects on how the world works but often in terms of emotion, which a strictly scientific worldview lacks. In the spirit of the search for knowledge in general, a scientist might value that complement to their understanding.
ReplyDeleteI think you definitely have a point. I think the way scientists and poets approach things are completely different, and I think they could learn from each other. Scientists often approach things looking for a specific answer, but poets look at things more as a process and journey. I think scientists could use to look at not only poems themselves, but the work that went into them.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Scientists take an analytical approach to most things, which is obviously helpful in their career, but often closes their minds to other possible solutions and answers. Poetry and literature in general brings a certain awareness to the reader. Scientists generally use deduction to solve problems, while poets and authors use both inductive and deductive thinking. Being able to solve problems as well as becoming more aware and drawing your own conclusions are both essential types of thinking, and scientists reading poetry could open their minds to both methods.
ReplyDelete