Hey Bill Nye, 'Do I Have to Choose Between a Science and Arts Education?' #TuesdaysWithBill

Hi Bill Nye, this is Sam Pastor, and my question for you is, as an art student myself, do I have to choose between art and science for our next generations to thrive, or can art and science coexist? Please let me know. Thanks, Sam.

Sam: Art and science have to coexist; they're both human endeavors. However, just keep in mind, you know, I'm the Science Guy. In like this, that science—this process that humans have developed—seems to be, to my way of thinking, the best idea we've had. The best idea we've had about how to know nature, how to know our place in the world, in the cosmos. But without art, we would hardly be people.

Art is created by people, and it inspires each of us. It's the way we send messages; it's the way we motivate each other or keep each other from doing something. Art is part of us. We don't want art or science; we want both.

With that said, a little commentary about our current controversy in education in the United States. Everybody goes on and on with this acronym STEM: STEM, STEM, STEM, STEM, STEM. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. This is a fine acronym. It talks about, or it was developed, was created to address what was a clear need here in the United States.

After people landed on the moon, investment in basic research was curtailed—except in military spending. We stopped; the United States stopped doing as much basic research as it had been doing. To reinvigorate this, excuse me, people created this acronym, and there's all these Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math programs in school. It's good; that's good.

Now, people talk about STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. Well, good! Yes! Then I've heard STEAMED: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math, and Design. Okay, pretty soon the acronym's gonna have all the letters that we would call school.

You go to school, and you've got to have math; you've got to have Language Arts, English in my case. And in the United States, where English is the primary language, you’ve got to have history. I'd like us to have civics about the U.S. Constitution and the behavior and the way the government is created. We’ve got to have art; you've got to have science. Yes, we've got to have all that.

But this tacking stuff on, this acronym that became so popular, STEM, is—it’s okay. But everybody, let's not forget we've got to do everything. You kids, not one or the other, please! It's not one or the other. Learn the process of science. You don’t have to become a scientist full-time or an engineer full-time, and for those who love science and engineering, I hope you pursue some art and learn some art.

For crying out loud, learn how to create art yourself and appreciate it. That’s what makes us people. Go for it!