Artists add a great deal to our lives. I wouldn't want to live without art. But is there a downside? Occasionally, an artist will become political or religious. Maybe they truly believe what they see is real. When this happens, it can have a negative impact.

Exhibit A: When an artist looks at a chair, they see color, texture, line, balance, etc. What they fail to see is everything else, including things invisible to the bare human eye, such as atoms and molecules.

Exhibit B: Take a look at this Van Gogh painting. It is beautiful, but what is Van Gogh missing? Something like this, maybe? (be sure to read the 'more info')

When artists discuss morality, or put forth notions of morality, many people accept those notions and live by them, as if they are actual.

In some works of art, you may find mentions of light and dark, meaning good and evil, when any scientist knows, light and dark are merely interpreted by the brain as safety and danger, because of our dependence on vision, our inability to see in the dark, and our many countless years in nature (without fire or other sources of artificial light; which of course are products of evolution, developed specifically to fight darkness).

You may also find mentions of strength and weakness, which are lesser than the notions of tyranny and evolution. It may appear, on the surface, when the strong hurts the weak, it is an act of evil. Is the Lion evil when it hurts the Gazelle? If the turtle was never hurt, it would never have developed its shell.

Through pain, we evolve. It is the way of the Universe. It always has been, and always will be. We would not have our diverse species without pain. We would not survive without pain. How can artists know any of this, when their expert lies in interpreting surfaces? In science, we find the human eye is often the exact opposite of correct. Maybe you think hot air is being blown out, when really cold air is being sucked in?

The Universe is a mysterious place. Life is a mysterious thing. I'm willing to wager, life does not end with death. Certainly though, there is no heaven or hell. Those are human notions, obviously conceived by primitive men. What really exists is far more mysterious and beautiful than any human could conjure. Which doesn't mean you should kill yourself to get there sooner.

Artists should learn science. It would be better for everyone.