The gap between the Sciences and the Humanities described by C.P.Snow still exists today: in this short essay I’ll try to explain the point of view of the writer who reconsiders the gap with new eyes.
Sciences see the world and the human being from its “hardware” aspect, one complex enough to sustain a whole thought. But this hardware can run a lot of “software” that can well represent the different ways of thinking and to see culture.
Humanities mainly see the aspect concerning human beings' creations, that are fundamental to our human experience.
Both cultures should single out their limits and points of strength by recognizing the merit of the opposite part: Humanities should incorporate science’s good results and Sciences should recognize the model-ability of the physical world itself.
Of Computers, Hardware, and Software
In the 1940’s Alan Turing elaborated a universal computer theory and demonstrated that at a certain level all machines calculate in the same way.
Common computers abilities have changed much from the 1940’s to nowadays, by modifying both hardware and software: the way of conceiving the machine has changed together with the software development.
As machines do, also the high range of different religions, music styles, languages show how human beings describe their identity not using “hardware” but using “software”. As a matter of fact people can quickly change their ideas and behavior.
Connections between Hardware and Software
The connection between “Hardware” and “Software” is deeper in the human being than in a computer. Moreover, our software is aware of the existence of the body, through the five senses: in this case, psychology is essential to interpret the signals coming from the body correctly. But our brain can also be controlled and “modified”.
Religion
Well, why hasn’t any religion ever been interested in science? Because Jesus, Buddha and the other religious chiefs have always thought of religion as something that couldn’t exist per se, without man. To tell the truth some operating systems have been defined as “religious”.
Towards the future
The co-operation of Sciences and Humanities will be very important, especially Sciences will be very precious in defining the value of some ethical problems, that are however determined by our cultural “software”.