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The Difference Between Scientific Focus and Artistic Focus · Sri Aurobindo Studies

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  Many people hold the idea that science is fact based and
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  focused on the external world solely, while the artistic focus
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  is based in the use of imagination and it's not as tied
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  to external facts. The difference, however, is not
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  necessarily one of a lack of imagination by those with a
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  scientific bent, but a different direction of focus, of
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  concentration. Some of the greatest scientists,
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  in fact, have extolled the power of imagination as being more
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  important than systematic intellectual pursuit of
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  knowledge. And on the other side, there
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  have been great artists who have from time to time turned their
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  attention to matters of science and engineering with great
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  effect. One such artist was Leonardo da
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  Vinci, whose work in engineering design and the scientific
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  theories behind his designs has been highlighted positively
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  through the centuries. Once an individual develops the
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  power of concentration, he can turn his attention to just about
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  any line of development or any pursuit and make progress in
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  that field. Capacities that he had no
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  knowledge about become evident as he begins to concentrate in
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  any particular field. We see this with individuals who
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  studied the humanities in college but who wound up highly
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  successful in business without a formal background or education
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  in that field. There are numerous examples of
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  people who turn their power of concentration on a for them, new
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  area of focus and who succeed in a second, third, or even fourth
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  line of endeavour. A disciple asks, How is it that
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  in people occupied with scientific studies, artistic
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  imagination is lacking? Are these two things opposed to
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  each other? The mother responds.
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  Not necessarily. In general, the mother notes
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  quote. They do not belong to the same
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  domain. It is exactly as though you had
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  what is called a torch light, a small beacon light in your head
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  at the place of observation. Scientists who want to do a
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  certain work turn the beacon in a particular way.
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  They always put it there and the beacon remains.
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  Thus they turn it towards matter, towards the details of
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  matter. But people with imagination turn
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  it upward, because up above there is everything you know,
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  all inspirations of artistic and literary things.
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  This comes from another domain. It comes from a much more subtle
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  domain, much less material. So these turn upward and want to
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  receive the light from above, but it is the same instrument.
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  The others turn it downwards and it is just a lack of gymnastic
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  skill. It is the same instrument.
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  It is the same power of a luminous ray upon something, but
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  as one has made it a habit of concentrating it in a certain
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  direction, one is no longer supple. 1 loses the habit of
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  doing things otherwise. But you can at any time do both
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  the things. When you are doing science you
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  turn it in One Direction, and when you do literature and art
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  you turn it in the other direction, but it is the same
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  instrument. All depends on the orientation.
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  If you have concentration, you can move this power of
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  concentration from one place to another, and in every way it
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  will be effective. If you are occupied with
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  science, you use it in a scientific way, and if you want
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  to do art, you use it in an artistic way.
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  But it is the same instrument and it is the same power of
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  concentration. It is simply because people do
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  not know this that they limit themselves.
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  So the hinges get rusty. They do not turn anymore.
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  Otherwise, if one keeps the habit of turning them, they
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  continue to turn. Moreover, even from the ordinary
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  point of view, it is not rare to find a scientist having as his
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  hobby some artistic occupation and reverse.
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  Also, it is because they have found that the one was not
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  harmful to the other and that it was the same faculty which could
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  be utilized in both. Essentially, from the general
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  point of view, particularly from the intellectual viewpoint, the
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  most important thing is the capacity of attention and
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  concentration. It is that which one must work
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  at and develop. From the point of view of
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  action, physical action, it is the will.
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  You must work and build up an unshakable will.
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  From the intellectual point of view, you must work and build up
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  a power of concentration which nothing can shake, and if you
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  have both concentration and will, you will be a genius and
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  nothing will resist you. End Quote.
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  Reference Sri Orobindo and the Mother Powers Within, Chapter 4
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  Concentration, pages 39 to 41.