The Relation Between Literature And Science

Literature and science are two subjects which contradict on one hand and compliment on the other. The foundational idea behind is that there is an important reciprocal influence between the sciences, the arts, and the humanities, though the ways in which current ideas are expressed and manifested, especially in our age of specialization, may be so different that the connections between them—as well as the ability to trace precedence—may not always be clear. Historically, for example, it is almost impossible for anyone who has even a basic understanding of Einstein to read much of Virginia Woolf's work without considering the impact of his ideas on her thinking.

Literature is a mirror of society. Literature is a body of written works related by subject matter (e.g. the literature of computing), by language or place of origin (e.g. Russian literature), or by prevailing cultural standards of merit. Literature includes poetry, prose, essays and fiction. Rebecca West said, "Literature must be an analysis of experience and a synthesis of the findings into a unity". Literature is an amalgam of observation, experience and creativity. It depends on how a person perceives a thing. An ant or an elephant, anything and everything can inspire literati to give it a form of literature.

Science is a systematic knowledge of the physical or material world gained through observation and experimentation. Science is a description of a phenomenon or group of phenomena. It is a practical subject in which every single theorem has a proper justification with assumptions.

Literature is a large word; it may mean everything written with letters or printed in a book. Euclid's Elements and Newton's Principia are thus literature. All knowledge that reaches us through books is literature. Both science and literature is based on observation and experience. They are like some colors on a wall. The more you look at it the more meaning and ideas germinate. A single normal happening can give you an inspiration; inspiration to prepare a thesis on it. A normal happening like an apple falling clicked on Sir Isaac Newton’s mind which eventually led to the law of gravitation. In the field of literature, a small flower like daffodil inspired William Wordsworth to a write a great poem ‘Daffodils’. A plain fact can become a masterpiece provided one is alert all the time and presents a thing in a creative manner with proper explanation.

The famous novel by Dan Brown, ‘The Da Vinci Code’ beautifully presents us the series of codes both from science and literature which helps the protagonist Robert Langdon to reach to the final destination. Similarly Umberto Eco, Benjamin Franklin, Susruta etc provided us various links between science and literature which is real and true. Prof. Huxley in his book ‘Literature and Science’ maintained that the remedy lies in the recognition of "the great truth that art and literature and science are one, and that the foundation of every sound education and preparation for active life in which a special education is necessary should be some efficient training in all three."