Cooking - A Science or an Art ?

There has been a varied opinion when it comes to culinary skills.
Some say it is purely an art that starts with coalescing ingredients through a process that involves inherent culinary skill, and ends with a dish that is so appealing to the taste buds that it could send the desired taster, into a world of great fulfillment.
On the other hand, there are many who argue that cooking, like any other academic subject is a science that can be mastered by merely following a set of carefully arrived procedures to produce quite a palatable result.
When I initially tried my hand at cooking, I was appalled by the effort that it took to accomplish a trivial recipe. I mean, it seemed so easy to me at first. After all, how long could it take to dice a couple of vegetables, add a few ground spices to it and let it cook? Not very long I thought as I gallantly proceeded to cook up a mixed vegetable stew. I wouldn’t say that the end result was inedible; however it wasn’t as delectable as I had imagined it to be!
It mildly dawned upon me (I say mildly, because I hate to admit that this was a complete "duh" kind of moment for me) that there are certain rules to cooking that I may be totally oblivious to! I immediately dialed an SOS call to my mother, who was pretty amused by the melodramatic account of my very first cooking attempt.
She of course assured me that cooking needed a whole lot of practice and above all an uncanny knack of combining the "right" ingredients that culminates in a savory dish. She never forgot to very brightly add, "Cooking is so easy!”
Over the days, I decided to try out the "easy" recipes that my mother had very gladly shared with me. I re-tried the mixed vegetable stew, this time following my mother's carefully dictated recipe to the tee. Of course it involved blanching the vegetables and caramelizing the spices before cooking, (something that I had no clue about, the first time round) but I was completely satisfied with the results. I had created a culinary marvel! (Generally, I hate to brag but when the occasion demands it, I go all out! :)) Indeed, as my mother had promised, cooking is easy!
So, what is cooking really? Is it a science of carefully practiced techniques or an art of combining just the right proportions of chosen ingredients to create a toothsome treat? I am still trying to figure out the subtle line that differentiates the two.
Not many have an inherent talent for cooking. Over the past generations, there have been people who have devoted a lot of their time and effort to this theme and yet today, it is evident to many that it seems quite commonplace.
What i can undoubtedly say is that it is the result that truly matters.
As someone once brilliantly quoted "The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star”
I'm only too happy to agree!