My area of study is very niche. I research how motor feedback signals from the focusing lens in the eye provide depth information.

So far my research experiments have supported that we can infact use some of this motor feedback to guide decisions. But just barely and not in everyone. However I ran 5 experiments with slightly changed setups and found the results to be consistent.

As for wands and the arts. I think that's fair to apply it more broadly to inspiration or creativity in multiple types of arts.

Personally I consider most hobbies to be art. If it involves making something, it's art in my book.

I think the tricky part might be distinguishing cups from wands.

Cups being the completed goal.

Wands being the creation of inspiration or ideas.

Cups might be science discoveries. Knowledge.

Wands might be the motivation or inspiration to pursue knowledge.

Pursuit of wealth as primary motivator over knowledge or scientific advances would probably fall in the pentacles.

With pentacles primarily being money and power (power as a result of wealth).

I mean this is all subjective opinions on symbolism.

My opinions. Yours might differ.

There isn't really any scientific basis for this that I know of.

There is a lot on Wikipedia about the history of the cards though.