Message Board Topic: Memes

Richard Dawkins, an evolutionary biologist, coined the term “meme” in reference to a “cultural gene.” Modeling culture after biological evolution, Dawkins proposes that ideas are like “living things.” Ideas infect people like viruses, and just like viruses that are stronger at defeating white blood cells and are able to spread among people, those ideas that are strongest survive.

Dawkins proposes these viral-ideas are memes, which include catch-phrases, melodies, fashion ideas, fads, and other cultural phenomenon. Internet memes are those ideas which spread quickly through cyberspace and infects popular culture: examples include LolCats, Rickrolling, Chocolate Rain, Potter Puppets etc.

Other memes exist as images. Think of images that have meme-like qualities. Then describe why you think these images are so memetic – have such infectious power.

Message Board Topic: Futurist/Vorticist Writing

Tarr, by Wyndham Lewis, is the typical example used of Futurist/Vorticist writing. Here is an excerpt from Tarr:

...Anastasya's laughter had upset and ended everything in his ''imaginary life.'' He told himself now that he 'hated' her.==''Ich hasse dich! Ich hasse dich!==he hissed to himself, enjoying the wind of the 'hasse' in his moustaches.==But (there was no doubt about it) the laugh had crushed him.==Ridiculous and hateful had been his goal. But now that he had succeeded, he thought, chiefly in the latter affair, he was overwhelmed. His vanity was wounded terribly. In 'laughing' at him she had puffed out and transformed in an extraordinary way, also his infatuation=

The entire book can be found online here: http://books.google.com/books?id=hj2sAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=tarr+Wyndham+Lewis&cd=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false. Look over the test and notice the stark differences between the way Tarr was written compared to literature we are used to or more comfortable reading. Remember, this was written for English-speaking audiences, even if it does not look as though it was.

Create two sentences concerning your project but in this Futurist/Vorticist style.

Message Board Topic: Picasso & Einstein

During the early 1900’s two men perhaps had the greatest impact on 20th century culture: Picasso and Einstein. They shared one thing in common: trying to find a way to describe how things can happen at the same time, in the same place. Einstein developed the Theory of Relativity (special and general) while Picasso co-developed Cubism with Georges Braque. They both were influenced by one man: a mathematician named Henri Poincare.

 

How do you think math could have helped Picasso and Einstein develop their ideas?

What do you think is the relationship between these two men?

How did they impact the 20th century?

Message Board Topic: Artistic Theory

Other disciplines like science, psychology, anthropology and sociology use a theory system. This means there is an initial premise or idea which guides the work. The standard system works something like this: 1) observations of the world inspire an idea, 2) a theory is constructed (this is a hypothesis or statement), 3) the theory is tested through practice or study and 4) the theory is solidified by combining the initial observations, hypotheses and studies in a single, succinct statement.

Artists use a similar mode, such as the futurist or surrealist manifestos. Describe in your own words a theory exhibited by: 1) current artist(s), 2) past artist(s) or 3) yourself (make sure to include the type or movement you follow).

Message Board Topic (EC): The Brain-Universe & Neurocosmology

Todd Siler is a cosmologist and theorist who has proposed a new way of looking at the human brain and the universe. He has developed a new, interdisciplinary field called neurocosmology which is based on his previous work: artscience (a field which combines art and science). Neurocosmology states that the brain and the universe are organized the same way – they have the same patterns. Below you can see an image of a mouse’s brain cell and a computer generated image of the universe. The similarities between the two images seems undeniable – the patterns are the same!

Why is this important? What do you think this means? How does seeing the image below seem to better justify Todd Siler’s theories?

Message Board Topic: Where is My Mind?

How does the mind relate to the brain? Some theorists think that the mind is the software or program application whereas the brain is the hardware or computer. Other theorists do not agree with this model/metaphor for the brain and mind.

This dilemma is called the mind/body problem and has been tackled by philosophers and psychologists alike. What do you think? Where is the mind? What is the mind? Does it exist in the brain or outside the brain?

Once you have determined where the mind is, think about where creativity exists. How do you define creativity? What makes someone or something creative?

Message Board Topic: S-Curves - Why or Why Not?

S-Curves are elusive, interesting and eye-catching. Why? What is it about the S-Curve that draws the attention of the viewer? Furthermore, why are s-curves so intimately tied to the female form?

For the most part, art historians and artists have identified the s-curve in the female form, but not in the male. Is this a bias of a male-dominated discipline for centuries and centuries? Is it because males establish the rules and are (for the most part) attracted to the female form? Or is there something inherent in the female/s-curve that is beautiful?

Think of examples of non-female s-curves. The fact that non-feminine s-curves exist; does this prove that there is an inherent beauty not tied a previously male-dominated field?