Art or Science??

[patusai]

The term to me today Martial Arts in confusing. My point is that Martial Arts can possibly be better defined much like the Bachelor or Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in college. Some of what is studied is an art and yet some if what is studied (especially the eclectic styles) might better be classified as a science. I'm curious that if you could classify your martial study would you consider it an art or a science and why. Thank you so much

[red dawn]

i have done a few different styles. But at the moment my main style is aikido. It would be hard to just classify aikido as either an art or science.

First off, you would probably think of aikido as an art because it's graceful and relaxed. But if you look closely at it, many techniques can be explained through physics.

And i think that's the case with many arts. You make a very good point, I think science is not something alot of people relate to the MA!

[Fairfax_Uechi]

The term to me today Martial Arts in confusing. My point is that Martial Arts can possibly be better defined much like the Bachelor or Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in college. Some of what is studied is an art and yet some if what is studied (especially the eclectic styles) might better be classified as a science. I'm curious that if you could classify your martial study would you consider it an art or a science and why. Thank you so much

As one who has an extensive scientific background, I would say that martial arts apply many scientific principals, but they are not normally taught using much science. They're more a passage from one to the other, even the books written are not scientific in nature. Now there is a huge exception. Bruce Lee studied using a scientific approach. He kept detailed notes, experimented, looked at the results, and was very critical of nonscientific nature of martial arts at the time. Sadly, his death put an end to his work. Now, I've never heard of anyone else doing detailed study like he did, but I'm sure there are others, they're just not very well known.

[Traditional-Fist]

The term to me today Martial Arts in confusing. My point is that Martial Arts can possibly be better defined much like the Bachelor or Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in college. Some of what is studied is an art and yet some if what is studied (especially the eclectic styles) might better be classified as a science. I'm curious that if you could classify your martial study would you consider it an art or a science and why. Thank you so much

I classify any martial study as art which uses scientifid principles, just like every other study, probably.

[Jeet Kune Do]

I Think of it as art, Because when one is Practicing Martial Arts, One is Expressing Himself, And also Some things in Martial arts can defy Science

[Eric_]

I consider it a science. Considerable study, research and analysis was the basis of the creation of my style (see: anything by Ed Parker). There is nothing particularly pretty or "expressive" about kenpo; it is a very practical, scientific aproach to martial art (or martial study, if you prefer).

. . . And also Some things in Martial arts can defy Science

How so?

[Whitefeather]

I do Karate, and it is both an art and a science. It is an art in the fact that it can be made beautiful and that, to some extent, probably a lesser one, one can express one's self with Karate. It is also a science. I could make your earwax sting with all of the science (physics, to be precise) that is in Karate. Although I have never done Judo before ( ), I have read a fair bit about it, and, when taught properly, Judo is practically entirely physics.

Just my little entirely depressingly insignificantly puny dos centos on the matter,

David

PS

Quote:

. . . And also Some things in Martial arts can defy Science

How so?

Hehe, my spidey-sense tells me that is a mightily fine arguement bloomin' like a Tulip in spring-time Holland.

[Menjo]

I looked "art" up in the dictionary and found some sastisfactory results...

Other than that, I would consider it a Art with OUR knowledge of science and some principles yet to be understood.

[Jiffy]

IMHO, Art and Science are intertwined ALWAYS.

For instance, music came from the science of understanding sound.

Painting comes from understanding colours, shapes etc.

(Obviously as time goes on, understanding increases)

Art to me is simply "the application of science to an individual taste".

Therefore, Martial Art is the application of War Science, particularly anatomy and biomechanics to the individual taste of the practitioner.

[red dawn]

IMHO, Art and Science are intertwined ALWAYS.

For instance, music came from the science of understanding sound.

Painting comes from understanding colours, shapes etc.

(Obviously as time goes on, understanding increases)

Art to me is simply "the application of science to an individual taste".

Therefore, Martial Art is the application of War Science, particularly anatomy and biomechanics to the individual taste of the practitioner.

you know, I just had a class discussion about that with my spanish teacher (go figure). But it's so true. You need science to understand art.

Well put Jiffy!