El (re)conocimiento del extranjero

 the arts is defined as the whole of the creative endeavour, ranging from the visual arts, literature to music

People need the arts now. People need the sciences now.

 Emphasis on the non-material aspects of life, having fulfilled our material needs – ability of the arts to enhance one’s quality of life

 Important in preserving and advancing our cultures, traditions, morality amidst the homogenisation of cultures, creation of mass/ popular culture

 As a means of communication; fosters cultural exchange and interaction in this globalised world: “As a universal language through which individuals can express common aspirations, the arts are a channel to understanding and appreciating other cultures.”

 Increasingly communicating through the arts and visual images with advances in communication technology – creation of new art forms with the computer

 Essential in equipping people with the ability to observe and interpret what they see, especially in a society so steeped in information and diversity

 Increasing emphasis placed on creative abilities and thinking out of the box in the global marketplace – skills which can be cultivated through the arts

 Competing and more dominant political, economic and environmental concerns -less importance placed on arts as sciences can address these problems more readily and effectively (e.g. poverty, health

problems, sustainable development, global warming)

 An interconnected world that is

increasingly dependent on technology in every aspect of life: economic, work, leisure, communication, travel etc.

 Required to advance human knowledge and welfare in this knowledge-based economy

 “Development” and “progress” defined in material terms i.e. access to technology – perceived need for sciences more than the arts.

Science and religion

 religion is based on faith/belief and is hence subjective, while science is based on empirical observations and experiments and is hence objective. However to claim that religion is about blind faith and lack of reason is gross oversimplification.

16. Does religion still have a place in our scientific world today?

It is a fact of life that science and religion will always come into conflict. Is this true?

Just as science needs religion, religion also needs science. Do you agree?

 Religion is able to meet certain needs in our lives that science may not be able to

o Religion provides emotional security and spiritual fulfilment in troubled times; provides direction and assurance in an age of uncertainties and constant changes. This is one aspect that other disciplines cannot do

o Helps man to search for meaning and answers to many fundamental questions that other spheres such as science and tech still cannot answer, e.g. issues on the human condition and human suffering, the purpose of human existence on earth, the existence of good versus evil, questions like ‘how did the world come about?, what happens after death?

o provides a framework for the behavioural norms, that is, how one should act and behave both as an individual and as part of society.

o Religion plays a very important role in our world today as it can be used as “unifying”

force for a society to hold together – essential to civil order, sense of belonging among the people – this is far better than societies which run amok with no “central” force, or with other guiding “principles” such as materialism, selfishness, etc

 Recognise that religion still is a sensitive issue/ held in high regard in our world today.

Religion is a sanctuary and a source of identity for people living in a world that is undergoing rapid change and, in situations when that sanctuary and identity are challenged, it leads to conflict that, in extreme cases, manifests itself in acts of terrorism.

o the influence religion has over legal systems (e.g. Sharia Law) in Muslim countries

o the increasing number of people embracing Buddhist philosophy as a means of coping with the stress of modern living and to counter materialistic values

o the growth of evangelical Christianity as people seek meaning in life and the attempts to marry science and religion through the theory of Intelligent Design.

 Science and religion need not necessarily be mutually exclusive Science needs religion in the following areas:

 Moral guideline/Set boundaries we should not cross/Make science more humane

 Make scientists accountable for their developments/discoveries Religion needs science in the following areas:

 To ground it with the truth?

 To tie it to something provable/empirical? (Gallileo, Copernicus)

 Science and religion come into conflict in some instances o Chose relevant areas for discussion and good examples

 Creationism vs Darwinian theory

 Copernicus, Gallileo vs church

 Einstein (and other religious scientists who show one does not exclude the other)

 Stem cell research

 Religion providing ethical guidelines for the use of scientific discoveries Reasons why science may not need religion

 Limits extent of discoveries(how far they can go)

 Limits areas of research and development(where they can go/explore)

Heng Kai Le @YJC

 Why should something spiritual dictate to something dealing with secular realm? (should follow separation of church and state)

Reasons why religion may not need science

 The spiritual cannot be proven by the 5 senses

 It’s an innate truth that people feel in the heart – science cannot measure/prove it

Others: ‘Have faith.’ Consider the implications of this conviction for researchers.

Heng Kai Le @YJC 1 Globalisation and Singapore