Event 3: The Hammer Museum

It was awhile ago that I attended the Hammer Museum, the last day of the Charles Gaines' exhibit on Gridwork. But it was an experience that I throughly enjoyed. It was my first time exploring The Hammer. One time, my volleyball team went on a scavenger hunt around Westwood, and one of our clues was in the front Lobby of the Museum, but this time I actually got to explore!

The first thing that I came across was the outdoor patio that had the spinning chairs. They reminded me of dreidels for some reason, I had never seen anything like it. I sat in one to try it out, I was so caught off guard that I almost fell out of the thing. Was a little scary, but once I went around a few times it wasn’t so bad. The architecture of these chairs combines both science and art that is designed to keep spinning without every stopping. I felt like I couldn’t be stopped. Was an interesting concept and design of moving.

The next exhibit that I visited was Charles Gaines’ Gridwork. What I saw were drawings, photographs, and works on paper that explored how rules-based procedures construct order and meaning. Each grid had a different design that embodied a different illustration of art. The trees were really cool to see because they were made up of boxes that had numbers in them, with a variety of different colors. From afar, you couldn’t see the numbers or the boxes. But up close, you could see the arrangement of boxes put together. It looked like coding, but was in the shape of tree. Interesting. But I thought it was so cool! I kept going up close to far away to see the difference in appearance. Got some pretty weird stares but I was so intrigued by Gaines’ artwork. 

Overall, my experience at the Hammer was awesome and I got to see some pretty interesting pieces of works. Similar to the Getty with the paintings, only a little more modern, I was really intrigued by looking at these paintings. I stood in front of the Garden Bridge painting and just stared at it for awhile. I sort of zoned out, but I just envisioned myself walking across the bridge and being there. For a second I thought I saw people walking across it, but then I snapped out of it. I would most definitely recommend visiting the Hammer, and if you want to get your ping pong on, they have a table!! 

Event 2: The Getty

Recently, I had the privilege to attend the Getty Museum with my younger brother, and let me tell you, it was AWESOME! Being a fifth year student at UCLA, this was my first time visiting. Upon walking up to the main entrance, at the bottom of the stairs lays a famous French statue called L’air. The stance that the figure holds appears as though she is floating in space. I tried holding this pose, but my legs and glutes began to cramp. Was a lot tougher than I anticipated,  but my brother snagged a good photo.

The main lobby was incredible. I was in awe and a little overwhelmed as to how big it was. My brother and I didn’t really know where to start our adventure, so we asked the man at the information booth on his take on where we should start. We started in the North Pavilion, where there was an exhibit of Renaissance Splendors of the Northern Italian Courts. Inside there were ancient glass and ceramics that promoted the technological advancements of local production and stimulating trade during the 1300s. It was amazing to see these pieces of work in person and how they have remained intact over the centuries. The maiolica, which was a common luxury item to Venetians, was really interesting to see up close because the detail and color were still so vibrant and had not lost its original form. Truly fascinating and put into perspective as to why these were such a luxury commodities during this period of history. 

We then made our way to the South Pavilion where I came across one painting that really grabbed my attention. Maybe it was because it took up the entire wall, but it seemed to display the encounter between men and women of the middle class. The setting of the painting looks as though they are in a rundown part of town, where these two women seem to have come across two men and somehow engaged in friendly conversation. I wasn’t sure what the angle was for this painting, maybe had to do with the social behaviors, but it made an impression on me.

Next, we visited the South Promontory Cactus Garden where there was a phenomenal view of Los Angles. We couldn’t go into the garden since it was blocked off, but the view was incredible. It was not a clear day, but you could still see downtown Los Angles and the tip of Palos Verdes. We couldn’t resist taking some artsy/hipster pictures, it was a must. 

We then made our way to the West Pavilion where we saw hand made drawings, one painting you had to use a magnifying glass. The amount of lines that were used to make this painting must have taken months. Talk about hand crap! 

After seeing some paintings, we then ventured to the central garden where there were a variety of different plants, grasses, and streams that lead into a pool that had a maze of azaleas floats. The design of the maze was created by Robert Irwin over a decade ago where it represents this moment in time. The way in which we look at the world as though it is an adventure experiencing ups and downs, right and wrong, constantly changing the rules. It can relate to change in our culture, specifically what we have been discussing this quarter on technology. 

This maze really opened my eyes as to how to view the world and how there is no definite answer as to why certain things occur. In way, this maze made me understand that there are going to be difficult times or paths that we come across. Part of we can control, others we can’t. I think the underlying concept of this maze is to remind us that forever setback we may face in our lives, there is a comeback. For ever negative there is a positive. It is up to you to stay in the present, or this moment, as best as you can and know that life is a maze to finding your success.

Overall, my experience at the Getty was incredible and I highly recommend others to visit as well. Even if you are not into museums, this one definitely has more than just exhibits, it is a great place to have a picnic, lunch, and escape the stress of our busy lives. 

Week 9: Space + Art

Copernicus Solar System

The fascination of space has been a topic that astronomers have questioned for centuries in searching for the meaning of “what is life.” Bringing knowledge and science together has changed the popular culture in how we look at space. With Copernicus’s model of the solar system in 1512, it sparked a new beginning of space and what lies in the universe. Space has always been an interesting topic of mine because I have always been curious as to what is really out there. Looking up at night, seeing the stars, it seems so close but yet millions of miles away. 

With the technology that has advanced since the time of Copernicus, astronomers have developed this portal into space where we have launched satellites and rockets to explore what is out in the universe. Sputnik was a monumental event where it exploited space travel and grabbed the world’s attention on a mass scale. It changed the view of peoples vision as to what the future will hold or even look like. It sparked unknown wonders of the universe and the capabilities as to what can be done to expand beyond earth. 

Neil Armstrong: First Man
on the Moon

Between the years of 1957 and 1969, satellites were launched into orbit as well as sending animals into space, orbiting the earth, and the most historic event, putting a man on the moon. The space race between the Soviet Union and the United States went beyond just who could reach the moon, but it created a new phenomenon of life outside of earth. This idea of the moon acting as the new persian gulf of the 21st century was something that could not be ignored. Mining the moon became a competition because it could have the potential to control the global economy and the destiny beyond.

Tomorrowland:
The future of the unknown

With everything that we have learned this course, it all ties together with space ad how it is creating our future. To think that television shows like “The Jetsons,” “Star Trek,” and “Lost in Space” paved this image of the future, it did in fact influence popular culture about space. It created a new image as to what to look forward to centuries to come. Is it possible to have life in space? Science fiction movies have definitely generated curiosities as to what life could be like in centuries to come. I know for me, just seeing the film Tomorrowland, it changed my perspective about the future. With the amount of technology that we have today and how quickly it is improving, I would not be surprised if our society will end up like these films. Yes it is fiction, but technology has such a heavy impact on our lives today, and with such brilliant scientists, researchers, and artists, there is a possibility that our future could one day model this space universe idealist world. And if I were to be alive when this happened, this would by far be the coolest and most historic achievement that our world would ever see. 

Citations

Nasa <http://www.nasa.gov/feature/our-tomorrowland-nasa-advancing-the-future-on-earth-and-in-space>

Copernicus <http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/files/2010/02/solar-system-copernicus.jpg>

Sputnik Video <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvPzUAeWZZY>

Neil Armstrong <http://airportjournals.com/wp-content/uploads/0803006_6.jpg>

Lecture Professor Vesna <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dPAmpBiVHY>

Week 8: Nanotechnology

Richard Feynman

This week's topic discussed the field of nanotechnology and how almost every aspect of science is impacted by technology. Dr. Gimzewski lead lectures this week, and his insight on the effect of nanotechnology made it clear that nanotechnology is beginning to push us over the edge in the 21st century, shifting the paradigm. For basics, nanotechnology is based on a scale of nanometers, in three scales of a thousand, a billionth of a meter. Richard Feynman lead a talk on "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom" where he discusses about how there is room in technology to make tiny things change the world. His vision was that "the principle of physics do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things from atom to atom," but how "we can manipulate things on the atomic scale." (Lecture). Feynman realized that as we shrink to the nanoscale, the laws of physics can change and allow quantum effects to dominate. 

Richard Smalley

Nanometer Scale

What really put nanotechnology on the map were Richard Smalley and Eric Drexler's theoretical concepts on carbon forms. The idea of seeing individual atoms in space and being able to manipulate them was a discovery that changed the thinking of technology. What made this possible was the development of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope. This microscope was designed to allow scientists to feel the surface of atoms by touch. The "finger" was a fine needle that could approach an atom and detect the surface of the atom. With this development, scientists could detect and even closer visual of the structure of molecules inside an atom. This development changed the way in which we can look at surfaces of molecules that can either be conducting or non-conducting.

Nanoparticles 

Nano particles also had an impact on nanotechnology because they had the ability to generate colors and pigments in particles. Nano particles can be used in a variety of applications and technologies, but the ones that has the mist to improve life is medicine. Nano medicine offers great benefits that can better our health. Quantum dots, for example, are made on the nano scale that can tag particular types of disease with the use of color killing tissue cells. 

In all, nanotechnology has improved our way of analyzing the structure of atoms and has given us the ability to self organize structures of molecules. 

Citations

Lecture with Professor Gimzewski

Richard Feynman <https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Y0qhcAN9RZylQpWoGNMRCWfqBXhV_uZsDRFvHseTFd-WTqKsVKjF2sRn2k-ePgI6F_7_Il_eJQ-XTqc-IUtW9HHFNtjCaf9BWXFY1P3Xj4XAWO2U9FRojr9J4QexD3k7q_3bcVf4MjE/s1600/richard-feynman-nano-big.jpg%3E>

Nanometer Scale <https://www.nanosonic.com/images/large/108.jpg>

Richard Smalley <http://www.chemheritage.org/discover/online-resources/chemistry-in-history/themes/microelectronics-and-nanotechnology/smalley-curl-kroto.aspx>

Nanoparticles <http://cdn.phys.org/newman/gfx/news/hires/2008/anewpyrexnan.jpg>

Event: Robert Gero

Selfies outside CNSI Building 

Thursday evening, a few of my friends and I went to Robert Gero's event where he explained his idea about infinity structures. I would first like to comment on the CNSI building and how awesome it was to walk around. Since I am history major and spend most of my time on North Campus, it was a change of atmosphere to see the layout of South Campus. It did take awhile to find the art gallery room, but I am glad we got a little lost so we could explore a little. 

Robert Gero (left)
Dr. Gimzewski (right) 

But getting back to Robert Gero's event, it was interesting to see his creation of an infinity structure and his take on how he believes that these structures will help further expand mathematics and technology. When I first walked in to the art gallery and saw the structure, I thought it was a molecule. I had never seen anything like this before. The way in which it was laid out, made it feel as though I were apart of the structure. It felt like a maze. Luckily it was made of styrofoam because I tripped while dodging in and out of the structure. 

Me & the infinity structure.
SO COOL

Listening to Robert Gero speak about the "infinity" and how he has been researching ways to calculate paradoxical space was eye-opening. His philosophical question that he posed in front of us was how can he create a structure in which terminal dimensions continue to expand and uphold on themselves infinitely and not break down. Robert continues his research by looking at mathematical models, in which he hopes can help calculate the "infinite." His creation in constructing geometric polygons has helped him to realize that there is a world application to theoretical mathematical calculations of infinity. Robert firmly believes that there is something within these polygons that will  uncover an infinity that is malleable and can be used in our modern technology. 

Upon visiting Robert Gero and listening him talk about his geometric polygons, it tied into the field  of mathematics and how scientists rely heavily on this subject field to figure out ways to further expand their theories to uncover the impossible. From what we have learned thus far regarding mathematics, this event put into perspective how mathematics is needed in discovering new ways to further advance our logic of the unknown. 

Video of "Infinity Structure"

I had a phenomenal time listening to Robert Gero and praise him for his work. It is so fascinating to see how passionate and determined he is to discovering the structural dimensions of the infinity. 

Not knowing anything about this field really made my experience memorable and impacted the way in which I now see objects, how infinity is everywhere.

Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

Neuroscience

This week’s topics focused on quite of variety of things, ranging from consciousness to unconsciousness, the conflict between Freud and Jung, and issue of LSD. The field of neuroscience explores the understanding of the nervous system and how brain functions. What does it mean to be in this moment right now? How or body and mind think and process such actions. All of this derives from consciousness; the special awareness, sensitivity, and alertness to a particular issue or situation. 

Franz Joseph Gall

Two important scientists that looked at the brain were Franz Joseph Gall and Santiago Raon y Cajal. Gall believes that human brain was physically developed according to its use and began the fashionable practice of phrenology- identifying the great matter of the brain with active tissue, neurons, and white matter. Cajal, considered the founder of neuroanatomy, investigated more of the microscopic structure of the brain.

Santiago Raon y Cajal

Freud and Jung looked more at the unconscious where they both took different approaches or had differ rent theories of the topic. Freud divided the mind as of “id” (or instincts and drive) and the “superego” (or conscience). In his theory, the unconscious refers to the mental process of which individuals make themselves unaware. He proposed a vertical and hierarchical architecture of human consciousness: the conscious mind, the preconscious, and the unconscious mind- each lying beneath the other. 

Jung argued that unconscious was source of creativity. He believed that religion was an important place of safety and exploring all parts of the cells. The relationship between these two is further dramatized in the movie called “A Dangerous Method,” produced in 2011 by David Connenberg, exemplifying the creative and fears of the process of the brain. 

David Cronenberg

It is interesting to see the wide range in neuroscience and how it all ties together. The brain is this biological entity that inspires art and influences culture that has continued scientists and artists to find solutions as to whether to not mind control is inevitable. 

Citations

"Neuroscience" http://cdn1.collective-evolution.com/assets/uploads/2013/08/consciousness.jpg

"Franz Joseph Gall" https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2706/4307548673_41014028e9.jpg

"Santiago Raon y Cajal" http://spin.udg.edu/rn12/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/neuronas.jpg

"David Cronenberg" http://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/movie/movie_poster/a-dangerous-method-2011/large_NfUMJNIvPMcm59uZEeHx8l4feM.jpg

Week 6 | Bio + Art

Bio-Art is one of the most controversial areas that draws the attention to ethical, aesthetic, and social issues. It serves not only as an artistic function, but as scientific. How scientists use animals for research is controversial without a doubt, it questions the ethics behind it all. I personally do not have an opinion on this matter, but I found it very intriguing on the different ways in which certain artists used biotechnology as a way of expressing art.

The Joe Davis

Joe Davis Experiment

Joe Davis is considered the pioneer of biotechnology where he came up with the most absurd ideas that posed critical questions about what life is and what it means she we manipulate life. For instance, he worked with other scientists to teach him about genomes, so he could create an infinite gene. By taking genomes and inserting them into living things, he used his audio microscope to created artistic pieces and how sound waves effects e-coli. What Joe Davis did was that he created living art. Artists are now realizing the potential effect that genomics have and how if used properly can be seen as art. 

Eduardo Kac is another artist that uses genomes to express art through the use of rabbits. The GFP Bunny is Davis’ creation of a green fluorescent rabbit. Davis, along with other scientists prior to him, plucked a fluorescent protein from a jelly fish,-identified as Aequorea Victoria- modified the gene and made the properties twice as powerful, and then injected it into a rabbit cell. This injection of a fluorescent gene traveled all throughout the cells of the rabbit and it began to glow. 

Aequorea Victor

This was monumental in biotechnology. Since the discovery of this fluorescent protein in Aeuqorea Victoria jellyfish, it has become one of the most important tools used in contemporary science. Due to Davis’ experiment with “Alba,” researchers have now developed ways to watch processes that were previously invisible, such as the development of nerve cells in the brain or how cancer cells spread. The use of biotechnology leads researchers to understand that genetic variations can work to their advantage when it comes to creating art. 

The use of biotechnology in tissue culture, animals, and in fields that involves shock realm is important for our culture, especially in technology, because it explores new ways in which we can express our body as an art but through the use of technology. 

Joe Davis <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_j_webarchive/davis_profile_sciam/0401davisecoli.gif>

Bunny 

<http://www.conncoll.edu/ccacad/zimmer/GFP-ww/images/alba2.jpg>

Aequorea Victoria <https://oceanuts.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/download-moon-jellyfish-hd-wallpaper.jpg>

Genesthetics: Molecular Biology and Microbiology in the Arts <http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_audio_scope.htm>

GFP Bunny <http://www.ekac.org/gfpbunny.html>

Medicine + Technology + Art | Week 4

This week’s focus was on the human body and how medical technology has influenced new ways of we see ourselves, how are bodies are being manipulated, and how we are participating in this new culture through dissection. Human dissection has been around since the period of the Renaissance, where scientists would examine and preserve the human body. This fascination of human anatomy soon lead to new technological advancements that allowed for us to see even further what lies beneath our skin. 

The Human Anatomy

Andrea Vesalius, considered the founder of human anatomy, was the first to provide an accurate structure of the human body in his most famous work De Humani Corpoios Fabrica. His work emphasized the priority of dissection, but also outlined the  “anatomical” view of the body giving us the ability to see the internal functioning of the body. His book was a turning point in modern medicine that lead to new technological movements to help better improve our understanding of the body.

H.M.P.

MRI

For instance, The Human Microbiome Project identified and characterized the microorganisms that made up the entire body, cellular structure and bacteria.This project established the X Ray, invented by Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen in 1895, which used a new form of radiation that created magnetic resonance for imaging the body. Today, the X Ray is used in every initial tests of an injured person so that doctors can can a better image of what has happened. In addition to the X Ray, the MRI and CAT Scans were other technological achievements that have created an entirely new way to look at the anatomy of the body without having to cut open the human body.

X Ray

CAT Scan

These three inventions have helped doctors to diagnose cancer, tumors, broken bones, and other disease all through the help of resonance and radiation. I am amazed at how technology of the humanities has created new platforms to discovering the human anatomy as well as contributing to the field of medicine. It has changed our cultural dramatically, in a good way of course, that has helped scientists and doctors to cure disease at a more efficient rate.

Plastic Surgery

Lastly, the technology in medicine introduced the idea of plastic surgery. Plastic surgery evolved over four thousand years ago in ancient India. The word plastic does not entirely mean artificial, but rather "to give mold" or "to give form" (Lecture). The first U.S. plastic surgeon was Dr. Metur, during the time of WWI. During WWI, soldiers were exposed to chemicals and electricity that caused serious destruction to the body, thus plastic surgery was used to help restore. 

However, in today's society, plastic surgery has taken on the art form to express beauty. One particular artist that was mentioned was Orlan. She underwent countless operations to display beauty on her own body in front of live audiences. She created a composite image from selective features from renown paintings in history, like the Mona Lisa and Venus, and would surgically replicate the facial feature in each famous artwork onto her own body. Does this sound upsetting? Disturbing? To me, yes it is a little unsetting, but I guess art is about creation and going beyond any limit. 






























Citations 

"The Human Anatomy" <http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/images/history/vesal_fabri2big.jpg>

"H.M.P" <http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Skin_Microbiome20169-300.jpg>

"X Ray" <http://en.es-static.us/upl/2013/10/x-ray-hands.jpg>

"MRI" <http://s.hswstatic.com/gif/mri-10.jpg>

"CAT Scan" <http://img.medscape.com/fullsize/migrated/405/410/mn0720.fig1.jpg>

Second Revolution 

I have always been intrigued as to how the robot became a booming field in our society and the influence behind this phenomenon. To think that it started with the printing press by Gutenberg in 1450, that brought new life in technology facilitating the scientific theory that then introduced the assembly line. It wasn’t until the Second Revolution where the idea of the robot boomed and was seen as a mechanism of labor. 

Water Benjamin 

Karel Capek

Walter Benjamin, a critic, radio broadcaster and essayist, argues in “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” the positive influence technology had on art and how the mechanical reproduction of art can remove creativity and originality from work (Benjamin 1-20). For instance, the robot, coined by Karel Capek, came to be understood as “serf labor” or work labor. The robot introduced this idea of cybernetics, where the cyborg was created, short for cybernetic organism, that had both biological and artificial features of a human.

"Cybernetics" created this ambiance of looking at the world in a scientific way, but with art, and how information can be transmitted and processed. It also shows the collaboration between scientists and artists, how it was possible to combine the two, but also how technology can be used to create a technological innovation that changes the world. 

https://vimeo.com/41776276 

Assembly Line

One movie that comes to mind when I think of robotics and art is I,Robot starring Will Smith. To see a robot emulate exactly the human behaviors and live amongst the human world was impeccable. To think that we have the technology to actually create these robots is insane. But, the flaw or the downside of these robots in what we see in this movie is their inability to protect and posses real emotions. Yes, they have the programing of all types of emotions, but they don’t actually feel it themselves. We also see in the movie how the manufacture of these robots parallels to the industrialization period, this idea of creating a mass production to help society work.

But to finalize this weeks topic, it is interesting to note how the knowledge of production, through the industrialization (the assembly line be Ford) paved way to this innovation of the robot mechanism and how it has vastly shaped our world. This dynamic has transgressed our world into a technological one where we have become so dependent on the internet-robotics-to help us thrive on a daily basis. 

Citations

"Walter Benjamin"

http://walterbenjaminportbou.cat/sites/default/files/images/Walter%20Benjamin_0.jpg

"Assembly Line" 

http://techpinions.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/assembly-line-women.jpg

"Karel Capek"

http://london.czechcentres.cz/public/galleries/8/7383/320x320__robot1.jpg?ae2f1eb4e275d3c9b8cbea48d7fe4a70

"Cybernetics" 

https://vimeo.com/41776276

"I Robot" 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL6RRIOZyCM

"Second Revolution" http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c3/Hartmann_Maschinenhalle_1868_(01).jpg

Week 2: Math & Art

This week’s topic looked closely at how mathematics plays a vital role in producing art. I did not realize the importance of mathematics when it came to art, let alone the connection between the two. It's interesting to note though how mathematics is involved in pretty much everything we do, even when we don't even expect it. Mathematics is driving our reality. As stated in lecture, mathematics is the relationships of “numbers, operations, abstractions, shapes, forms, spaces, transformations, generalizations” (Lecture), the list goes on. 

Math is Real Life 

What grabbed my attention though was the concept of perspective. Perspective came to mean "seeing through a transparent plane on which the scene is traced from a single fixed eye point" (Lecture). The eye can see and discover a variety of little detail that can change or create a perceptive about a subject. The vanishing point, whom Brunelleschi was credited for in the West in 1413 and is defined as "the intersection of this special line of sight with the picture plane” (Vanishing Points, pg. 2), addressed its’ audience to better understand the mathematics behind the art and the angle of perspective. 

Vanishing Point

In addition, Francesca, a leading mathematician, claims that paintings have three principles: “drawing, proportion, and coloring” (Lecture). The most important, according to professor Vesna, is proportion because it is undoubtedly what we call perspective. Which then brings us to Leonardo Da Vinci. Leonardo distinguished to types of perspective, artificial, which is the way that artists project the painting on a plane, and natural, that reproduces the size of the painting based on distance. 

Leonardo 

It is amazing to see the creativity in these artists and how they used mathematics to produce such amazing pieces of art that has transformed history. To think that artists, like Leonardo or Piet Mondrain, studied calculations to create these beautifully crafted masterpieces that are still being looked at is incredible; inspiring. 

I am not an artists in the sense of painting or architecture, but I feel that part of art is creating your own craft. Everyone’s craft is different, whether it may be as a painter, lawyer, athlete. Part of art is about calculating the best ways or numbers to creating creative masterpieces that will inspire others to do the same. But, in order to create these masterpieces, we must use mathematics to help us achieve our goals or even dreams. 

Citations:

"Math is Real" <https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b2/d6/ed/b2d6ed7853ac1e89ddb6c2756ecce1b8.jpg

"Vanishing Point" <http://hsc.csu.edu.au/ind_tech/design/3767/images/people_perspective_1.jpg>

"Leonardo" <http://www.leonardoda-vinci.org/download-113772-Vitruvian-Man,-Study-of-proportions,-from-Vitruvius's-De-Architectura.download>

"Secrets of Perspective" <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODEvCINTADs>

Week 1

Hello! My name is Kelly Reeves. I am a senior at UCLA and played on the Women’s volleyball team 2010-2013. After my senior season, I took a year off of school to train with the USA National Team and played overseas in Switzerland on a professional team. Now that I am home and have a break, I have enrolled back in school to finish up my undergrad. I couldn’t be more excited to be back on campus and back in the Bruin community! 

In this weeks readings and lectures, the focus seemed to drawn to Charles Percy Snow's article of Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution. In this article, Snow discusses the intellectual life of western society and how it has been split into two polar groups, literary and natural intellectuals. Literary intellectuals refer to themselves as “intellectuals as though there were no others” (Snow, 4). They have a “curious distorted image” and their attitudes are so different that they struggle to find much common ground with others. The natural intellectuals, or non-scientists, have a more “down to earth interests” and that even though they are not scientists, “they would share a good deal of the scientific feeling” (Snow 9). Snow goes into further depth about the two cultural poles and their arguments, but from the general consensus of what Snow is trying to emulate is this disparity between the rich and poor class and what caused for this separation. This idea of separation lead to a great deal of misunderstandings and ambiguity. However, John Brockman introduces this ideal of the Third Culture, “that consists of scientists and other thinkers in the empirical world who, throughout their work and expository writing, are taking the place of the traditional intellectual in rendering visible deeper meanings of our lives redefining who and what we are” (lecture pt.1). Brockman explains that this third culture would “close the communication gap between literary intellectuals and the scientists” (Bockman article). Scientists have started to communicate directly to the public that has rendered the deeper meaning of who and what we are as people.  

In addition to this concept of the two and third culture, stereotypes has become a perpetuated discipline that has contributed to this separation between art and science. We all stereotype in some shape or form, it is a bias that has deeply engraved in us, it is part of our human behavior. For intense, the stereotype of a Mad Scientist: white lab coat, glasses, chemicals, disheveled hair, the evil eye. The context and the history of stereotypes changes over time, because now, a Mad Scientist takes on a more secretive role that might involve working in government, CIA type stuff. The way that stereotypes emerge over time has created this separation of how we perceive our knowledge. 

To sum up why there is a separation between cultures is because of our education system. Countries around the world are trying to figure out ways on how to educate children to “take their place in the economies of the 21st century, and to create a cultural identity” (RSA Animate Video). The problem is, we are trying to implement what we did in our past and kids don’t believe the story that hard work will guarantee you a job. The current education system was designed and conceived for a different age, the intellectual culture of the Enlightenment. This system has struggled today because there is this epidemic of ADHD. Well not epidemic, but "children are living in the most intensely stimulated period where they are receiving information from all platforms (tablets, iPhones televisions ads)" (RSA Animate Video). They learn more on the internet than they do in school. It’s a phenomenon that is unlike any other. To a certain extent, this is true. Students have become so glued to their iPhones and the internet that they tune out the subject material in school. I don't know about you, but I find out about news or current events from all my social media apps. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook. It makes me curious if the things that we read online are more important or educational than the stuff we are suppose to learn in school. I understand the importance of education and getting a degree, it sets you up for your career path. But my question is, are teaching children the right stuff for their future?? 

Citations: 

Image 1:  Third Culture Model:

< https://spinstrangenesscharm.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/third-culture-kids/>

Image 2: Mad Scientist 

<http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140830013538/villains/images/9/9e/Tumblr_static_f17iy7xk1cocwkwg84gs0woog.jpg>

Image 3: Changing Education Paradigm 

<http://vividlife.me/ultimate/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/changing-education-paradigms.jpg