Chapter 3:

The Natural Sciences: Understanding the Natural World

This chapter, at its core, explores how the subject of Art involves imagination and free
interpretation, while Science involves exactitude, precision, and logic. At the same time, it is
important to keep in mind that there are huge commonalities in the art and science thinking and
problem-solving processes. There is much to be gained from an art curriculum that integrates
scientific thinking processes and exploration through that field of study.

Section 1: What is Science?

- “The American Association for the Advancement of Science defines science as
“the art of interrogating nature with the commitment to understand the natural
world.” (Gauch, 2012, p.26).
- Science is exploration of natural systems through activities like
observing through a microscope, watching a storm, or piecing
together the bones of a dinosaur, but curiosity and wonder are
essentially what drive the study of it (35)
- ”The knowledge of the world science presents is an evidence-based vision of
reality constructed through a logical and explicit chain of reasoning that can be
replicated and generalized and that is always open to skepticism, scrutiny, and
critique. (Aicken, 1991; Derry, 1999; Ingram and Sikes, 2005)
- ”Science is the happy intersection of experience and observation, the ability to
connect and think them through in a systematic way, and our willingness to
change our minds” (p. 35)
- The 3 general categories of Science:
- Physical Sciences- matter, motion, energy
- Life Sciences- structures and processes of organisms and evolution
- Earth and Space Sciences- Earth Placement, Earth based systems, and
activities involving the Earth and humans.

Purpose of Science:
- The goal of science is to understand the natural world. Learning something
fundamentally new. New orders of lawfulness in the world being perceived.
- ”The urge to understand the universe has an aesthetic motivation.” (p. 36)

Knowledge of Science:
- ”The knowledge of the natural sciences is divided into two principal
categories: information and concepts.”
 - Information: gathered through research, observation, measurement of
phenomena that can be tested empirically.
- Instruments and mathematical modeling
- Indirect observation, technology, and simulations- discern info and extend our
factual knowledge.
- INFORMATION IS NOT PERMANENT. IT CAN CHANGE. An example of this
includes the invention of new technologies. Likewise, information is not always
intrinsically true or stable- viability established through ongoing experiment and
observation.
- Information is only meaningful if the scientist can find connections
between the bits of info that is observed and gathered. It is essential to
make connections and make sense of scientific findings. This process can
be described as Analysis, Synthesis, and Inference.
- Take info—>evaluate info—>connect info—>discern its implications. This
is how we create new knowledge in science.

Methods of Science:
-Stephen J. Gould- There are multiple methods of science, and Stephen J. Gould
categorized the natural sciences according to these methods. Scientific areas of study
can be traditionally framed as either “hard” or “soft” sciences.
-Hard sciences can be described as rigorously experimental
-Soft sciences can be described as merely descriptive.
-Science A vs B
-A= observing phenomena, making a hypothesis, experimenting to test a
hypothesis, and making generalizations or predictions based on conclusions. This
process is common practice in chemistry, physics, and biology.
-B= rely on inferences made without experimentation. Placing existing evidence
together to construct explanations and theories. Amounts to logical, educational
storytelling grounded in argumentation rigorously consistent with evidence. (Biology
(evolution), Physics (astronomy), and geosciences (plate tectonics)

Section 2: Points of Integration for Art and Science

Looking at art through a scientific lens can help us see art more clearly.
Understanding the compare and contrast between art and science can aid in
a more effective art-science integration that benefits the student and their
educational experience.

Purpose
- The purpose of science is to understand the physical world. The purpose of art is
to look for new understandings of the human experience within the physical
 world. The key difference here is that understanding communicated through art
can and oftentimes will move beyond the physical world and our real life
experiences.
- Science is evidence based, and art does not necessarily have to be.
- Science and art share the desire to understand our world, but they can pursue
different forms of understanding.

Knowledge
- Knowledge of sciences are limited to the physical world. The knowledge of art is
not.
- Science and art overlap in knowledge in their understanding of nature and
humans' relationship to it.
- “Artists work with some of the basic concepts of science: causality and chance,
the finding and visualizing of patterns, the interdependence of living systems,
space and geometry, time, and the dynamics of human machine relationships.”
(p.46)

Methods and Creative Process

- ”Art” involves imagination and free interpretation. “Science” involves exactitude,
precision, and logic.
- Integrating creativity used in the scientific process in art class.

Forms
- The forms of art and science might seem quite different, but they are more
similar than we might originally think.
- Art forms include drawing, painting, installations, photographs, video, prints,
installation, etc.
- Science forms include botanical illustration, x-rays and CAT scans, museum
displays, video documentation, etc.
- “Another place where art and science overlap is in the way contemporary artists
use formats from sciences such as graphs, maps, diagrams, symbols, and other
tropes.” (p.48)

Section 3: Teaching Art, Keeping Science in Mind

- The key commonalities between science and art thinking processes: Rational
thinking, precision, and the desire for a clear vision.
- Historically, science generated an optimism and creative notion for ourselves
about being able to understand the environment, and that we can take educated,
thoughtful, and creative actions to improve our lives.
 - Art and Science are both responses to ourselves, our experiences, and
environment…they both emerge out of curiosity and a sense of wonder, they are
both experimental, improvisational, and open ended.
- “When you think about integrating science and art, consider the following points
of integration:
1) Experiencing curiosity and wonder about the world and our place in it
2) Asking or raising questions; challenging forgone conclusions and habits of
mind
3) Building upon past structures and knowledge to go into the unknown
4) Engage in creative thinking, strategies, process in both investigation and
interpretation
5) Mixing logic and linear thinking with nonrational, nonlinear thinking
6) Applying ideas, structures, and methods of one area to another: metaphor
and modeling
7) Engaging in improvisation and being flexible
8) Acting with perseverance and commitment
9) Experiencing the joy and pleasure in learning and discovery

Section 4: Art That Connects To Science

-Integrated Thinking
-Integrated thinking is a blend of artistic and scientific ways of seeing the world.
- ”Art” involves imagination and free interpretation. “Science” involves exactitude,
precision, and logic. This can be further understood through the comparison of
Unpredictable v. Predictable.
- Art is not meant to be understood, but to ask questions and bring complexity to
prior understandings.
- Integration: Nathalie Miebach is an artist who is an example of depicting and
transforming scientific information into art. Nathalie makes physical, tactile,
tangible connections in her artwork to draw attention to critical issues like global
warming. Miebach also uses the creative strategy of reformatting to bring
attention to these issues.
- Neuroscience and Art: An artist example of this concept is Nene Humphrey:
Nene uses traditional neuroscience tools and methods, but approaches her
research as an artist. She conveys the connections between electrical impulses of
neurons and the spirit that ignites a sense of community through time-based
mediums and MRI imaging.