Medicine: The science and the art

Medicine has been said to be bath a science and an art. Many practitioners regard this statement as containing an element of "either/or" A brief look at what scientists and artists have written about their work and their worl d views, however, suggests that the two fields of endeavour form a. complem entary part of our attempts to understand ourselves and the world about zee Moreover, on occasion each can perform some of the other's tasks. This pap er quotes from the writings of physicians, scientists and people active in the humanities in Order to demonstrate how frequently their thoughts conver ge. It also presents a case report from general practice illustrative of th e idea that there is much common ground between the "hard" and the "soft" i n medicine. Indeed, the profession's art and science may really be one.