Now, I appreciate and agree that any particular skill requires a bit of artistry to really do it well. Whether it’s golf, computer programming, politics or business, there is certainly an element of art involved in getting the job done right, especially when done in such a way that makes it look so easy.
However, I am slightly concerned about what seems to be an over-dependence on that artistry in a medical offices building that I passed the other day. ‘Medical Arts’? That sounds more like black magic, witch-doctoring and the like. It’s like the ‘professionals’ within that building glaze over the underlying science of medicine to focus entirely too much on the art of the cure.
I think of those exhibits of plasticized human remains that travel around.
I also think it is using “Arts” in the sense of “Artisan” (before that word got attached to anything folks wanted you to pay a lot for) i.e. a skilled craft, not “Arts” as in “Ooh, pretty.” or “My five year old nieces could do better than that!”
Art n. the principles or methods governing any craft or branch of learning.