Blog Compilation and Summary

Blog Compilation Summary In this class, we have learned a lot. We have gone from looking at art, math, and science as subjects to a much more broad examination of how these different disciplines relate to both each other and to the world. By understanding the divide between art and science culture and how it is accentuated we open ourselves up to a larger conversation about the presence of art, math, and science being put to use around us. This divide between cultures was the basis of our studies in this class. After gaining an understanding of the cultural split between science and art, we moved on to further our understanding of how we see these disciplines in areas such as technology and the medical field. We discussed robotics, medical technologies, biotechnology, neuroscience, nanotechnology, and even our outlook on space. In our discussion of each of these topics, we were able to see the roles held by art, math, and science in these different fields. I plan to write my essay final about either the division between art, math, and science and how it continues to become worse, or about one of the topics we discussed during class such as nanotechnology and the roles of art, math, and science within that discipline. This class has really made me aware and appreciative of the differences between art and science. But more importantly, it has given me an understanding of why they are not so different at all and in many cases even dependent upon each other. Art and science should not be treated as two separate paths at which people must decide for themselves to put one before the other. Despite considering myself a “science” major, this class has helped me understand the perils of neglecting art as a part of my academic journey. Unit 1 Blog Assignment (Donovan Nelson) This week’s discussions, readings, and lectures have provided me with a new comfort in knowing that I am not the only one who acknowledges and is disappointed about the obvious divide between art and science. As a student majoring in human biology, my focus is clearly on the sciences, but often I feel limited when it comes to opportunities to learn and express myself creatively. C.P. Snow’s ideas in, “The Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution” perfectly translate my feelings into writing. I believe that neglecting art or science can be extremely detrimental to any student’s development. The goal should be to find a balance between learning the facts as defined scientifically, and applying them creatively. Personally, I view art as a way of expressing what we know as science, although art definitely has many other uses as well. Without art, we limit our options of ways to express or apply our ideas. This idea of separating art from science is especially accentuated by universities. For example, at UCLA, our campus divides the arts and sciences between North and South campus. It seems to be made clear that the disciplines should not mix. Because of this I am more likely to spend most of my time on the science side of school and miss out on many of the experiences and different perspectives found on the art side. This also contributes to the stereotypical view of scientists that most people have. The video from RSA Animate called, “Changing Education Paradigms” was also very insightful. It somewhat clarifies the way we have developed our current educational system which uncovers why it is structured the way it is today. In the video, it mentions that the youth today do not believe in the educational system as they have in the past. The importance of having a diploma is fading as it no longer guarantees a job. I found it especially interesting when the narrator, Sir Ken Robinson, mentioned that for many, the route to a diploma often marginalizes everything they care about or find important along the way. I relate to this personally because often it seems that my education is very one-sided with science being my main focus and most of my time being spent memorizing different concepts and not much of an emphasis ever being placed on creativity which equally if not more important to me. References Anonymous. “Unit 1: Two Cultures Divided.” blogspot.com, 8 April 2018, http://erkhesbat.blogspot.com/2018/04/week-one-two-cultures.html?view=flipcard. Accessed 1 April 2021. Curtis, Neal. “A message for our scientists.” auckland.ac.nz, 25 August 2020, https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/news/2020/08/25/message-for-our-scientists.html. Accessed 1 April 2021. Morris, Scott. “5 Tech Careers That Don’t Need A College Degree.” skillcrush.com, 2021, https://skillcrush.com/blog/tech-careers-no-degree/. Accessed 1 April 2021. Robinson, Ken. “RSA ANIMATE: Changing Education Paradigms.” YouTube, 14 Oct 2010, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U&t=691s. Accessed 1 April 2021. Snow, C. P. “Two Cultures and the Scientific Revolution.” Reading. 1959. New York: Cambridge UP, 1961. Print. Vesna, Victoria. “Toward a Third Culture: Being in Between.” Leonardo 34.2 (2001): 121-25. Web. Unit 2 Blog Assignment (Math and Art) This week, the focus was specifically on math and art. We explored comparisons of the two as separate subjects, as well as how and where each is seen or demonstrated. Many have acquired a belief that one can only be good at one of the two subjects rather than both. Personally, I would hope for this not to be true as either subject is very interesting and equally important to me. In reality, it is evident that each and every one of us are born with the ability to perform either skill. However, according to R. Buckminster Fuller, we become more accustomed to one if the two topics, math or science, due to our educational experience. This is a process that he refers to as degeniusing. He explains that it is the reason that many students are often unable to provide an equal contribution to both subjects. R. Buckminster Fuller https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/bucky-on-stage/ Art and math affect the world around us in many ways that we often overlook. Architecture is just one example presented in lecture. Geometry has both mathematical and artistic applications and has quite literally been what has held some of the most important architectural accomplishments together. The Great Pyramid of Giza, for example, was build using the golden ratio and picturesque art. The Golden Ratio in Design The Golden Ratio in Design | Elements of art, Golden ratio in nature, Golden ratio As a student pursuing a major in Human Biology, most of my efforts are focused in math and science. Although they are often posed as separate subjects, art is both an extremely important and influential part of my education as well. Art is often used as a medium of taking what we know as science or math, and putting it to use. Art gives us a way of expressing what we understand, and even what we do not. “Arts and science are similar in that they are expressions of what it is to be human in this world. Both are driven by curiosity, discovery, the aspiration for knowledge of the world or oneself” (Koek 11). Art and math may differ in their methodology, however they can create much more of an impact when they coexist. . Right Brain Left Brain https://www.lucidmindcenter.com/right-brain-left-brain-test/ Works Cited Abbott, Edwin Abbott. Flatland: a Romance of Many Dimensions. Penguin Classics, 2020. Anonymous. “Interesting Facts About the Golden Ratio in Nature, Art, Math and Architecture.” Knoji, 2017, https://knoji.com/article/interesting-facts-about-the-golden-ratio-in-nature-art-math-and-architecture/. Accessed 10 4 2021. Anonymous. “Right Brain Left Brain – Test Your Brain.” Lucid Mind Center, 2020, https://www.lucidmindcenter.com/right-brain-left-brain-test/. Accessed 10 4 2021. Ferreira, ByRute. “Art and Math: Aesthetics of Calculations.” DailyArtMagazine.com - Art History Stories, 4 Jan. 2019, www.dailyartmagazine.com/art-and-math/. Ireland, Corydon. “Bucky on stage.” The Harvard Gazette, 2011, https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/bucky-on-stage/. Accessed 10 4 2021. Koek, Ariane. “Arts and Science Are Similar in That They Are Expressions of What It Is to Be Human in This World .” Medium, 4 Oct. 2011, luclalande.medium.com/arts-and-science-are-similar-in-that-they-are-expressions-of-what-it-is-to-be-human-in-this-world-b5624a2ffe2a. “Fine Artist Playing with Interactivity, Math, Code.” Nathan Selikoff, 18 Jan. 2020, nathanselikoff.com/. TippingPointMath, director. What Is the Golden Ratio? YouTube, YouTube, 5 Apr. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nSfJEDZ_WM. Unit 3 Blog Assignment Previously in this class we have discussed the division between science and art as academic subjects and the relationship between math and art. In my previous blogs I have mentioned that art can be seen as a way of expressing mathematical or scientific ideas. I think that this week’s topic of robotics has provided a perfect example of just that. It was very interesting to me while exploring the course material for this unit how much of an impact on the development of technology, robotics, and industrialisation can really be accredited to the implementation of the printing press during the time of the Renaissance. It is obvious how such an invention was able to facilitate things like the scientific revolution and Renaissance, however the impact that it had on industrialization was something that I had not considered before. It is now clear how assembly lines and robots could be said to have evolved from the introduction of the printing press. Printing Press https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing_press Industrialization of labor is just one way that we have experienced the growth of robotics. Technology has enabled mass production. An early example of this was Henry Ford’s use of assembly lines, as mentioned in lecture. The idea of using technology to separate actions into pieces and dividing production into parts among workers is an idea that began with the printing press. As labor became more mechanized, workers started to be treated as part of machines. The advancement of technology and introduction of computers has transformed the way we think of labor today. The growth of robotics continues to accelerate today. Computers have become an everyday necessity for work, school, communication, and so much more. Ford Assembly Line https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/0312/946759-what-can-the-assembly-line-teach-us-about-innovation/ Artificial intelligence could truly be seen as a bridge between art and science or math. The idea of robotics comes from artists rather than scientists, and if art can be used to express scientific or mathematical ideas, artificial intelligence is a way of giving the creation the ability to express itself. Artificial Intelligence https://www.blog.adva.com/en/artificial-intelligence-i-think-therefore-i-am. Resources: Anonymous. “Printing Press.” Wikipedia, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing_press. Accessed 16 April 2021. Freethink. “Robot Artist Challenges Our Definition of Art.” youtube, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxbo_nLK45o. Accessed 16 April 2021. Gratton, Dean Anthony. “Artificial intelligence: I think therefore I am?” Technically Speaking, 2019, https://www.blog.adva.com/en/artificial-intelligence-i-think-therefore-i-am. Accessed 16 April 2021. Lipson, Hod. “Building "self-aware" Robots.” TED, 2007, https://www.ted.com/talks/hod_lipson_building_self_aware_robots#t-375742. Accessed 16 April 2021. Rogan, Fionn. “What can the assembly line teach us about innovation?” RTE, 2018, https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2018/0312/946759-what-can-the-assembly-line-teach-us-about-innovation/. Accessed 16 April 2021. Unit 4 Blog Assignment This week we have discussed the influence of science and technology on medicine. I believe one of the most important points of our discussion this week was mentioned during a recorded lecture when we talked about how innovation in this field has been especially driven by war. Many advancements were made with prosthetics and plastic surgery during times of war. For example, during World War 1, many experienced facial injuries and disfiguration. Many techniques for transplanting skin, suturing, and even sculpting artificial features to mask facial injuries became more advanced during this time. More is discussed within the video below. Prosthetic Facial Features https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/faces-of-war-145799854/ This week we also explored the innovations that led to the non-invasive forms of imaging that are now available to allow for viewing the inside of the human body. Since ancient times anatomy has been studied using dissection. In the world of artistry it is especially important in many cases to have an understanding of anatomy. Whether it be sculpting, painting, or anything else, the better an artist understands anatomy, the more realistic of a human figure they are able to create. For this reason it is understandable how important of a work Henry Gray’s, “Gray’s Anatomy”, is for artists. Gray’s Anatomy Book and Illustration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray%27s_Anatomy Our understanding of the human body has grown immensely since the creation of, “Gray’s Anatomy”. Today we have access to technology such as, X-rays, MRI’s, or CAT scan’s that are enable us to view the inside of the human body relatively quickly and without cutting it open. These technologies are of great use throughout the medical field as they enable doctors to diagnose patients with a greater understanding of what is occurring within the body. References: Gray's Anatomy. Wikipedia, 2021. Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gray%27s_Anatomy. “What to know about MRI scans.” Medical News Today, 2018, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/146309. Accessed 23 April 2021. “Magnetic resonance imaging.” Wikipedia, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetic_resonance_imaging. Accessed 23 April 2021. Vox, YouTube. The facial prosthetics of World War I. Vox, 2018. YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJzjt_aFc00. “WORLD WAR I: 100 YEARS LATER.” Smithsonian Magazine, 2021, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/world-war-i-special-report-180952176/. Accessed 23 April 2021. Week 6 Blog Assignment This week our discussion was focused on biotechnology in relation to art. I find it very interesting to see how the fascination with nature held by artists can be translated into an art form in which nature literally becomes the artwork. It is truly amazing to see what can be made possible with the power of biotechnology. Being able to manipulate life to fit our vision of what it should be is a very powerful idea that brings along with it some great ethical concerns. For example, the bioluminescent bunny, mentioned in lectures, that was created as an art piece raised many questions about the ethics of manipulating the genes of living animals as a form of art. Animal rights activists claim the practice to be unnecessary and unethical, and even scientists find projects like the glowing bunny to be silly. However, no matter your stance on ethics, the implications of biotechnology are undeniable. With the ability to manipulate the genes of living organisms, life can take whatever form we see fit. In this sense, life itself can become the canvas on which we can create anything we can imagine. Bioluminescent Bunny 640 × 480 Biotechnology’s effect on art is very interesting, but we must take into account that this technology can result in much more than a glow-in-the-dark bunny. Being able to choose and edit genes allows us to choose the appearance, and even characteristics of humans. This could be used to achieve the most aesthetic features, or possibly even to give a person superpowers! The question we must ask is where do we draw the line? Standards of Beauty (left), Superman (right) Bella Hadid is the most beautiful woman in the world because her face shape, lips and chin are 'perfect', according to the' Golden Ratio' equation Superman and Lois on Twitter | Superman lois, Superman costumes, Superman suit Resources Flood, Rebecca. “BELLE OF THE BALL Bella Hadid is the most beautiful woman in the world because her face shape, lips and chin are ‘perfect’, according to the’ Golden Ratio’ equation.” The Sun, 2019, https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/10139459/bella-hadid-most-beautiful-woman-world-beauty-phi-face-perfect/. Accessed 7 May 2021. “Glow In The Dark Rabbit? -- Mind Blow #70.” YouTube, Vsauce2, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWhCiIIjRbE. Accessed 7 May 2021. “How Gene Editing Will Change The World.” YouTube, Tech Vision, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trjPZKmxMJI. Accessed 7 May 2021. “Introduction to Biotechnology | Don't Memorise.” YouTube, Don't Memorise, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrTCjp2015M. Accessed 7 May 2021. Sean, Eric. “Superman and Lois on Twitter.” Pinterest, https://www.pinterest.com/pin/518406607111951629/. Accessed 7 May 2021. Week 7 Blog Assignment In this week’s unit, we discussed neuroscience and art. The topic of neuroscience and consciousness and the separation of the mind and body is one that is very fascinating to artists. One important point from this week’s discussion was the idea of consciousness. Consciousness itself is defined as the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings. It is amazing to think that there was a time in which people did not understand enough about the body to know where their own thoughts, feelings, and emotions originated. The philosopher, Aristotle, believed these things to be the responsibility of the heart. This was corrected as technological advancements allowed us to learn more about the brain. Studies of the brain have shown evidence that its structure is partly responsible for certain characteristics of our personalities. Certain areas of our brain control different aspects of our body and behavior. Greek Philosopher Aristotle https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/world/europe/greece-aristotle-tomb.html Another point of discussion this week was dreams. We forget most of our dreams although they can at times be very vivid experiences. We know so little about what it means to dream. After studying this week's material, I have come to the conclusion that dreams are the expression of our subconscious mind. When we sleep we are in a relaxed state in which our conscious thoughts are minimized and therefore our subconscious thoughts, feelings, or emotions, can invoke what we experience as dreams. This topic is important when it comes to art because it deals with the source of our creativity. The brain is the source of our creativity. The way that we think and behave as determined by our mind is what ultimately determines what we can physically produce. There have been entire movements in the world of art dedicated to the idea of dreams. It is fascinating to think about our consciousness and where our thoughts and ideas come from. Brain https://slate.com/technology/2016/03/how-big-is-the-brain-who-knows-even-our-best-efforts-to-calculate-its-capacity-are-flawed-and-meaningless.html References “Dreams.” Wed MD, 2019, https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/dreaming-overview. Accessed 14 May 2021. “Dreams: When Your Unconscious Speaks up | Carl Jung.” YouTube, Personal Power, 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMY2C-k6nnI. Accessed 2021. “Greek Archaeologist Says He Has Found Aristotle’s Tomb.” The New York Times, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/world/europe/greece-aristotle-tomb.html. Accessed 2020. “Greek Archaeologist Says He Has Found Aristotle’s Tomb.” The New York Times, 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/27/world/europe/greece-aristotle-tomb.html. Accessed 2020. “How Much Can Your Brain Actually Process? Don’t Ask.” Slate, 2016, https://slate.com/technology/2016/03/how-big-is-the-brain-who-knows-even-our-best-efforts-to-calculate-its-capacity-are-flawed-and-meaningless.html. Accessed 2020. Week 8 Blog Assignment This week we discussed the relationship between nanotechnology and art. It surprised me that we dedicated a section of this class to this topic because in previous units I have felt that nanotechnology was something that could have been mentioned in more detail, especially during our discussion of robotics and medical technologies. It seems that previous units have been leading to this topic. Nanotechnology is a subject that is very interesting to me. In previous classes we spent some time discussing nanotechnology’s effects on the world of medicine. From that time on, I have known that in the future we can expect nanotechnology to have a place in many areas of life, especially the medical field. In my midterm project, I discussed possible uses of nanotechnology by athletes. Nanobot Injection https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/tomorrows- world-nanobots-to-kill-cancer-cells-chatbots-to-talk-to-the-old/arti cle9979534.ece For athletes, it is extremely important that we prioritize our recovery. Training can be very strenuous on the body and without proper rest and recovery, injuries become inevitable. Nanotechnology could provide a huge advantage when it comes to recovery. In fact, it could provide the key to eliminating all preventable injuries from ever even occurring. Nanotechnology has the potential to be used to create devices that could be injected into the bloodstream to monitor the body, aid in muscle recovery and tissue regeneration, and much more. This device could be used to monitor nutritional information, levels of fatigue, performance during activity, and even warn athletes about developing injuries before they occur. Athletes Running https://www.aljazeera.com/s ports/2020/1/1/winners-of-th e-decade-worlds-top-athlete s-and-sports-teams References: Poole Jr, Charles P., and Frank J. Owens. Introduction to nanotechnology. John Wiley & Sons, 2003. Bhushan, Bharat, and Baumann. Springer handbook of nanotechnology. Ed. Bharat Bhushan. Vol. 2. Berlin: Springer, 2007. Zhang, Fei, et al. "Structural DNA nanotechnology: state of the art and future perspective." Journal of the American Chemical Society 136.32 (2014): 11198-11211. Wang, Peng, and Ji Yan Wang. "Development and application of nanotechnology in sports." Advanced Materials Research. Vol. 918. Trans Tech Publications Ltd, 2014. “What is nanotechnology?” YouTube, Risk Bites, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DAOFpgocfrg. Accessed 2021. V Rishi Kumar. “Tomorrow’s world: Nanobots to kill cancer cells, chatbots to talk to the old.” The Hindu Business Line, 2018, https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/science/tomorrows-world-nanobots-to-kill-cancer-cells-chatbots-to-talk-to-the-old/article9979534.ece. Accessed 30 April 2021. Winners of the decade: World’s top athletes and sports teams.” aljazeera, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/sports/2020/1/1/winners-of-the-decade-worlds-top-athletes-and-sports-teams. Accessed 30 April 2021. Week 9 Blog Assignment In this unit, we discussed the relationship between space and art. As a kid, I used to really want to be an astronaut. I have always had a fascination with space, and I can understand why artists have as well. Space is an incredible place that contains things that are unimaginable to us. To me, this unit served as the intersection of all others. Our previous topics such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, math, and robots all come together in a way when we discuss space. Mars Rover https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/ During lectures, we discussed the way that as our interest and knowledge of space has grown, so has its use in movies and television. As our understanding of space expands, it entices people to want to know more about it. Shows such as Star Trek and Star Wars, especially given their popularity, could be seen as a representation of our fascination with space. Star Wars https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars-best-spaceships/ We also mentioned constellations throughout this unit, shapes made by stars, which are clearly the result of artistic ideas being applied to space. Astronomy is a scientific study, but it has artistic applications as well. Additionally, the awe inspired by the way we perceive space based on the amount of information we have, serves as an inspiration for art just as nature does. Astronomy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy Bibliography “Astronomy.” Wikipedia, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy. Accessed 5 28 2021. “NASA's Mars Exploration Program Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover.” NASA, 2021, https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/. Accessed 2021. “Space Art | Spaced Out.” YouTube, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mJGmYM2kBI. Accessed 2021. “Star Wars: 25 Best Spaceships.” Den of Geek, 2019, https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-wars-best-spaceships/. Accessed 5 28 2021. “What Is Space Art?” International Association of Astronomical Artists, International Association of Astronomical Artists, 2015, iaaa.org/what-is-space-art/. Johnson-Groh, Mara. “Sketching the Stars: How Art Can Advance Astronomy.” Undark Magazine, Undark Magazine , 30 Sept. 2019, undark.org/2019/06/03/astronomy-art/.