video Questions Week 2

1. Aesthetics: Philosophy of Art
-an understanding of the development of aesthetics and art throughout time
-from Plato who proposed that beauty is an erotic attraction to Dewey proposes that aesthetics is a societial phenomenon
- In times no attention was paid to aesthetics the focus was only on devotion to God
-Art is found all around us
-Philosophers continue to explore art as it continues to develop.
Carta: Neurobiology and Art and Aesthetics Jean - Pierre Changeux
The key focus was the scientific relationship between art and aesthetics.
-A work of art is a human production of nonverbal communication
- the processing of a visual image goes from the limbic and prefrontal cortex.
- there is a genetic envelope for the evolution orgin of art.
- Art makes us aware of oneself as another

The science of art: A neurological Theroy of Artistic Experience
Vilayanur Ramachandran
-Art and science meet in the braun
- There are 8 universal laws of aesthetics
- There are cultural influences however the 8 universal laws cut across all visual aesthetics
8 Universal Laws
- Grouping or binding
-peak shift principle
-contrast
isolating a single cue to optimally excite cortical visual areas (attention)
-perceptual problem solving
-symmetry
- abhorrence of unique vantage points and suspicious coincidences
-art as a metaphor

2.
The beginning of how we view aesthetics today began in 18th century England during time are was considered an imitation of nature.  During this time, the 18th century Kant proposed that what is beautiful cannot be difined by concepts, what is beautiful is what the object conveys.  Kant also regonized the artist not as a skilled craftsman but rather a sensitive and superior individua.  To quote Kant "Through the genius, nature set the rules of art".

3. to start Chaneux's presentation was extremely difficult to follow between his accent and monotone if it were not for a few slides presented this would have been non productive.  The scientific view was very interesting and quite honestly nothing I ever considered.  My first reaction was that the whole idea was far fetched but there is scientific backup.  From Changeux the most intresting part was the evolution of the brain and art.  From Ramachandran  was the explanation of isolating a single vue to optimally excite cortical visual areas (attention).  It explains how " less is more" and how we focus attention on what is important.

4.  The videos reinforce the concepts in the texts.  In some areas they go into more detail which gives a more complete understanding especially in the areas of asthetics.

5.  Except for Changeux's film i found the videos helpful and insightful.  What Changeux was presenting was intresting, the evolution of the brain and art, but his message wasd hindered by his accent and monotone.  Ramachandran was intresting and it was helpful  that he presented works of art to reinforce hsi concepts.  In the third video I was brought to realize that art is all around us being presented through all types of media.  I liked Kant's view that naything can be beautiful