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schmudde's review
3.0
I wanted to like this lecture more than I did; the premise is near and dear to my heart.
However, his broad assertions on the two cultures are completely anecdotal, the analysis of the Russian, English, and American education systems is inconclusive, and the relationship between the essential culture divide to rich and poor nations is obtuse.
The foundation of this brief lecture makes it worth reading, even if it does fall short on the details.
However, his broad assertions on the two cultures are completely anecdotal, the analysis of the Russian, English, and American education systems is inconclusive, and the relationship between the essential culture divide to rich and poor nations is obtuse.
The foundation of this brief lecture makes it worth reading, even if it does fall short on the details.
paulogonzalez's review
3.0
Snow delivered 7 May 1959 a lecture at Cambridge: "The Two cultures and the scientific revolution", and immediately after a book was printed. The book I am talking about here is a second and expanded version, "The Two Cultures: A Second Look".
The book has an introduction by Stefan Collini, almost the same lenght than Snow's text. He tells a pre-history of the debate for a whole perspective, Snow's own life, the developement of the idea of the "two cultures", reactions and controversies after the lecture, or the changing map of the academic disciplines with the current increasing specialisation.
With the "two cultures" Snow alludes to the 'literary intellectuals' and the 'natural scientists', between whom he claimed to find a profound mutual suspicion and incomprehension. However, in the originial lecture he was isolating only one small corner of the situation: he was talking primarily to educators and those being educated.
He explains why he selected that particular word, and in addition he says that «the reasons for the existence of the two cultures are many, deep, and complex, some rooted in social histories, some in personal histories, and some in the inner dynamic of the different kinds of mental activity themselves». Besides, Snow considers the situation in England, contrasting mainly with those of the United States and of the U.S.S.R.
The book has an introduction by Stefan Collini, almost the same lenght than Snow's text. He tells a pre-history of the debate for a whole perspective, Snow's own life, the developement of the idea of the "two cultures", reactions and controversies after the lecture, or the changing map of the academic disciplines with the current increasing specialisation.
With the "two cultures" Snow alludes to the 'literary intellectuals' and the 'natural scientists', between whom he claimed to find a profound mutual suspicion and incomprehension. However, in the originial lecture he was isolating only one small corner of the situation: he was talking primarily to educators and those being educated.
He explains why he selected that particular word, and in addition he says that «the reasons for the existence of the two cultures are many, deep, and complex, some rooted in social histories, some in personal histories, and some in the inner dynamic of the different kinds of mental activity themselves». Besides, Snow considers the situation in England, contrasting mainly with those of the United States and of the U.S.S.R.
wilte's review
2.0
The two cultures refers to the divide between scientists and literary intellectuals. Snow's solution lies in education.
The main point is very important and still relevant, but I don't think you need to read the whole book to get it. WIkipedia probably suffices https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Cultures
The main point is very important and still relevant, but I don't think you need to read the whole book to get it. WIkipedia probably suffices https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Two_Cultures
tenisonpurple's review
informative
slow-paced
3.0
Interesting modern introduction and then the Rede lecture which inspired Flanders and Swan to write about the second law of thermodynamics. Very interesting to read what was at the time a highly controversial lecture/article. CP Snow seems to have something of a chip on his shoulder about the “literary intellectuals” although some of his points about knowledge of science and arts and the specialisation of education (particularly in the UK) still seem quite relevant even though they are 40 years old
northeastbookworm's review
4.0
Back in the 1950's this book was all the rage. Now? I think it is still relevant,but in different way. In the United States science and the humanities are casted aside by certain sectors of the left and the right.
Witness the so-called American Tea Party. Or take for example the idea
in among lower socioeconomic groups of African-Americans that embracing intellectual knowledge of any type is akin to "acting white". This needs to be read along with "Anti-intellectualism in American Life" by Richard Hofstader.
Witness the so-called American Tea Party. Or take for example the idea
in among lower socioeconomic groups of African-Americans that embracing intellectual knowledge of any type is akin to "acting white". This needs to be read along with "Anti-intellectualism in American Life" by Richard Hofstader.
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