Artists shape our perceptions of the world through their paintings, sculptures, and writings. They express ideas that help society cope with the hardships of everyday life. Most of us have vivid memories of artists and their works, be it the canvasses of Picasso or the novels and works of Shakespeare. On the other hand, most societies today have little to no memories of scientists. Their contributions may be more subtle, such as medical research, but they nonetheless serve society in positive ways. The importance of scientists, however, cannot be overstated. Their hard work has shaped our world, from the tools that we use to the medicines we use to treat illness. Science has helped people live longer and better lives, and it continues to aid society today in countless ways. Thus, society values the work of artists and scientists equally, and it is difficult to determine which type of contribution is valued more. The distinction here is that while artists communicate their ideas through pictures and words, scientists communicate their ideas through facts. The ambiguity between ‘idea’ and ‘fact’ is at the heart of this problem, as artists often try to frame their work as merely an idea, something that can be disputed or changed. This perception, unfortunately, has led to the misunderstanding of scientific ideas, which do not vary depending on individual interpretations. However, scientists work hard to maintain objective truths and facts, and this makes their work more valued in modern society.

As mentioned earlier, artists and scientists both contribute to society in different ways. Artists, however, often communicate their ideas through subjective interpretations of the world around them. Picasso, for example, did not paint his cubist works because he believed they would help society. He wanted to create art that reflected his own views about the world. Similarly, Shakespeare did not write his plays because he believed that they would help society. Instead, he wanted to create a literary masterpiece that would entertain his wealthy friends. In this way, artists see themselves as offering a service to society. They take creative risks, often using non-traditional methods, simply because they enjoy a challenge. The importance of their work, then, lies in personal satisfaction. Scientists, on the other hand, do not create art to amuse themselves. Instead, they pursue science because they want truth, no matter how difficult it may be to find. Their idea of truth, however, does not coincide with individual interpretations. For example, the Theory of Evolution states that human beings evolved from more primitive life forms that lived millions of years ago. In order to prove this, scientists need to gather data. This data cannot be interpreted subjectively; instead, it must be measured and translated into objective, measurable terms. This difficult process of interpretation is what makes the work of scientists so valuable. In fact, some of history’s greatest scientific discoveries would not have been possible without painstaking, objective research. The Theory of Evolution, for example, is based on years of painstaking research, in which scientists measured the rates of genetic mutation and natural selection, and extrapolated from these rates to produce their theories. Therefore, although scientists perform many of the same tasks as artists, their work is more powerful. Scientists use objective data to create theories, which influence the way that people understand the world around them. In this way, scientific theories offer society a general understanding of the world, while art offers only a personal vision. Therefore, although artists’ work is valued, scientists’ work plays a more important role in society.