IHUM 101 Exam 1
Heroic cycle
an archetypal pattern in which a seem- ingly average person develops into a hero. First the character is isolated and misunderstood. Sec- ond is the initiation: a difficult task to prove the hero. Third is the triumphal return.
Transcendentalism
any system of philosophy emphasizing the intuitive and spiritual above the empirical and material
Write
articulate your experience through writing; challenges our creative instincts; threatens your self image; it's not easy, but the benefits outweigh the costs
Review the four component parts of the writing about the arts writing loop
prepare -> participate --> write --> reflect
Man vs. man
the conflict between man and himself or the protagonist and the antagonist
Classical definition of humanities
the general learning that should be the possession of all human beings
Medium
the materials that art is made of
Plato: Reason vs. Emotion Debate
valued reason over emotion
Style
"How" you say something is every bit as important as "what" you say; make the style of the paper as engaging a the substance of your paper; use vivid descriptions, incorporate metaphor and simile to make your pose come alive, make organization flow logically; read the style you like to make your writing better
Purpose
"What is the purpose of this piece of writing?" (personal benefit, journal diary, review, critical analysis, etc....) AND "What do you hope to accomplish with your piece of writing?"
Review the aspects and details of Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel Ceiling and its creation.
- Pope Julius II wanted Michelangelo to sculpt a tomb for him. Michelangelo started doing it and it was looking so good that the pope's chief architect, Bramante, feared that Michelangelo's fame would supersede his own. So, he told the pope that if the tomb was finished during his life that he might need it sooner. The pope was superstitious and believed Bramante. -Bramante gave the pope an alternative for Michelangelo - the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. It was architecturally flawed and was all messed up and leaking and growing moss. Bramante thought that Michelangelo would make a mess of it and be a disappointment. -Michelangelo refused to paint the ceiling. But the pope insisted and had his soldiers escort Michelangelo to the Sistine Chapel. They locked him inside the Sistine Chapel to make him do it. -It was such a big project that it took Michelangelo 4 agonizing years to finish it. It took a huge toll on him physically. So much paint dripped into his eyes that he had only peripheral vision for about 6 months. He was almost unrecognizable when he was done. -Theme of the painting: relationship between God and man, heaven and earth, what is divine and what is human. -Center panel: Adam and God reaching towards each other, but their hands do not touch. Makes Adam like God.
Review Helen Keller's essay and its themes
-"Use your eyes as if tomorrow you were stricken blind." -Take full advantage of all your senses to soak in all of the beauty surrounding you. -We live lethargically and devote our time to petty tasks no deriving meaning from our experiences -In order to fully appreciate something it often must be taken away
Review the ways to recognize an aesthetic experience.
-Draws us into it and makes us forget where and who we are, generating a kind of compulsive focus on the thing itself. Does not have a practical end. -Engenders a sympathetic attitude toward the thing, an acceptance of objects on their own terms. We focus less on the content of the experience and more on the form. (Example: listen to music, not so much for what it reminds us of, but for what it reveals in the inner logic of its rhythms, melodies, and harmonies) -We tend to get drawn into a kind of trance or reverie, becoming immersed in deep contemplation. Fully engages our intellectual, sensuous, and intuitive faculties, bringing our often-competing sophic and mantic natures together.
Understand the role that beauty can play in the human experience.
-Greco-Roman and Renaissance: recognized beauty's potential for good -Currently: application of beauty has shriveled to Hollywood starts and occasionally to nature -The role of beauty as an antidote to the business of everyday living may need to be reintroduced to a culture that appears to have great need of it. -We need beauty so desperately because of our overemphasis of technology. -We need beauty to pull us out of the crazy life/technology and give us peace and time to reflect for self-improvement. -Beauty is a softening agent í allows us to retreat from our many responsibilities and offers us introspection and inspiration.
Remind yourself of the traits that Howard Gardner claims are characteristic of creative people.
-regularly solves problems -fashions products -defines new questions in a domain in a way that is initially considered novel but that ultimately becomes accepted in a particular cultural setting -independence -self-confidence -unconventionality -alertness -ready to access to unconscious processes -ambition -commitment to work
Mantic
-relies on intuition and instinct -feelings, emotions -search for wisdom: human to divine (vertical)
Saturation
-sophic -conscious mind becomes saturated with information up to the limit of its ability to contain it -researching -planning -drafting -sketching -gathering of resources
Verification
-sophic -tests the results to decide if it works -finishes the work -involves the reactions of the reader, viewer, audience, or critic
Understand the common pitfalls of Aesthetic Judgement
-Having no experience with the medium they criticize (trying to teach something you've never done) -Trying to express through words (limitation of words to express feelings) -Progressive Exclusion: tailor your level of criticism to the level of expertise possible in a particular performance (you can't gauge the quality of a doghouse by the criteria of a cathedral) 3 Common Critical Pitfalls: 1. "Well, I don't know I it's any good or not, but I know what I like!" This is an ignorant statement because the more we know about something the more we will be drawn to and interested in it. This statement ends the discussion before any light has been generated. 2. "My little brother could have done that!" People tend to appreciate things that appear to have taken a lot of effort, and this statement is bad because you don't know what the artist did to create it and sometimes they were going for the look they created. Sometimes trying to make abstract art is harder than it looks. It all depends on the category of art. 3. "That's not art!" If we define art as anything made by an artist, then calling a work "not art" makes no more sense than calling a chef's unappetizing salad plate "not food." The best we can say is that it isn't good food.
Be able to describe why Mona Lisa is considered a masterpiece and has stood the test of time.
-It is getting a glimpse into the mind of a great genius, and seeing his concept of ideal beauty. Even though it may not be our vision of perfect beauty, it is Leonardo da Vinci's. -Leonardo captures the human expression of that fraction of a second when an idea sparks the mind and begins to illuminate the face - the physical manifestation of thought. -It also embodies anatomy, forces of nature, shadows and perspectives that reveal bodies in space. He studied the smile and muscles. His knowledge of science and art was distilled in it. -He started it as a portrait of Lisa Gherardini (wife of Fasncesco del Giocondo), but never gave it to them as he took it with him and had it with him for the rest of his life
Review the relationship between Critical Thinking, Knowledge, Understanding, and Wisdom.
-Knowledge: possession of facts -Understanding: ability to take knowledge of facts and understand the relationships well enough to make decisions -Wisdom: ability to judge the quality of the decisions made based on the facts -Critical thinking: what difference does it make; how can it make me a better person, etc...
Sentimentality
-based on sincere emotion, sentimentality deliberately exaggerates the works' emotional content with the purpose of manipulating your emotions, often called a "cheap shot" -evokes strong negative response in critics -will not stand the test of time because it is superficial and does not offer the depth of human understanding -too exaggerated -doesn't have much to offer in understanding the human experience better
Greeks (from Neil Postman's speech)
-in Athens 2,500 years ago -first people to develop a complete alphabet --> first truly literate population on earth -invented the idea of political democracy which they practiced with vigor -invented philosophy -invented logic and rhetoric -came close to inventing science (Democritus atomic theory) -composed and sang epic poems -wrote and performed plays that are still relevant -invented Olympics - striving for excellence -believed in beauty -believed in moderation -invented ecology
Visigoths (from Neil Postman's speech)
-in Germany 1700 years ago -good horsemen -marauders, ruthless, brutal -language lacked subtlety and depth -art was crude and grotesque -destroyed everything in their path in Europe and overran the Roman Empire -burned books, desecrate buildings, smash works of art -no poetry, no theater, no logic, no science, no human politics from them known today -ushered in the Dark Ages
Aha!
-mantic -everything flashes into focus -reached through mantic reflection and intuition
First Insight
-mantic -seeing the whole picture as an idea -puzzle with pieces missing -vision -vague -simple -inspiration from something else
Incubation
-mantic -tries to fit the puzzle pieces together -manipulates the gathered information in imagined visual space -expansion and reduction -uses intuition over intellect -allows the subconscious to continue to mull over the work
Sincerity
-masterpieces are sincere -withstands the test of time and offers depth of human understanding -stirs emotions and provokes deep thought -offers beauty, inspiration, and enlargement of the soul -has new insight each time we return to it -gives more profound understanding of life and what we perceive about our relationships, thoughts, and existence -uses metaphors, images, and concepts that give us food for thought, depth of understanding, and greater awareness of ourselves and others
Sohpic
-thinks analytically -prefers fact over fancy -science, rational, logic, facts -search for wisdom: person to person (horizontal)
Consider the observation posed in the chapter that the arts are both a mirror and a window. What does that observation mean in literal terms?
-window: we see into others' lives -mirror: reflection our own personal biases and attachments
4 Justifications for writing about the arts
1) creating meaningful communication, 2) healing the sophic-mantic split, 3) sharpening critical thinking skills, 4) putting you on the road to your authentic self.
Be prepared to define and describe the 4 Ways to Judge Art and the associated terms and concepts.
1. Artist's Intent: formalism vs. contextualism (they should be used together) 2. Will it stand the test of time? Viewed as a masterpiece from generation to generation; influences generations of artists and changes the way that people look at the medium; Ex: Mona Lisa 3. Elements and medium: -Elements: artistic tools of composition and the techniques used to compose a work (balance, symmetry, line, surface texture, etc....) -Medium: physical material of the work 4. Sincerity vs. Sentimentality
Betty Edward's 5 stages of the Creative Process
1. First Insight 2. Saturation 3. Incubation 4. A-ha! 5. Verification
Review the discussion in your lesson of how the five stages manifest themselves in Ingmar Bergman's creation of his film The Seventh Seal.
1. First insight: Art in Lutheran churches in Sweden when he was a child influenced him, especially the dance of death 2. Saturation: ideas started with a one-act play called "Wood Painting" based on the dance of death; then the idea expanded to doing a full length film; he spent lots of time rearranging and adding and deleting; it took him four revisions and there were still too many ideas and motifs 3. Incubation: more revisions; he would take breaks to listen to music and look at paintings and visit churches; taking this time to wander and let the ideas sink in and tinker around 4. Aha!: revision number 5 finally clicked; the final breakthrough was when he decided to add a holy couple as the main characters 5. Verification: he created the film after assembling the cast from the actors from "Wood Painting"; critics praised it and his reputation has grown since
3 major components of any work that "works."
1. It has integrity (balances unity and variety) 2. It generates insight (balances clarity and complexity) 3. It exhibits inexhaustibility (balances accessibility and profundity)
4 purposes for studying the humanities
1. broaden our vision of the world 2. connect us with others and with our own emotions 3. through study we can experience the arts more deeply 4. tells us who we are
Modernism
1900-1950; art makes a self-conscious break with previous genres
Gazzaniga: Reason vs. Emotion Debate
1906s showed that the right and left hemispheres of the brain each have separate functions, our ability to accomplish this relies on connection and communication between BOTH sides of the brain
Existentialism
20th century philosophical movement emphasizing the uniqueness of each human existence in freely making its self-defining choices
Recall the section in your lesson where you listened to and read about the carol "In the Bleak Midwinter," and be able to answer the kinds of questions posed in that section of the lesson.
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Remind yourself of David Edelstein's film review, and be able to answer the discussion questions that follow the review.
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Remind yourself of Barbara Tuchman's "dilemma" about modern heroes
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St. Augustine: Reason vs. Emotion Debate
After Plato he put a Christian spin on it and people shifted towards this -suggests that rational can be both good (wisdom) and bad (worldliness), just as the emotional can be both good (spiritual) and bad (sensual) -then it moved back towards Plato's idea
Understand the larger implications of the five step creative process--how the process can be applied outside the realm of art, and how creativity itself can manifest something of the divine in each of us.
As you read through the descriptions of the five stages, perhaps you had your own ideas about how these stages might apply to other fields. Imagine a math- ematician coming up with an idea for how to approach a particularly difficult equation. The initial idea is followed by study, attempts to work the numbers, some dead ends, a step back from actively working on the problem, a sud- den insight, and a final verification of the solution.
Be able to describe how Picasso's Guernica can elicit an aesthetic experience
Even though it may not be considered beautiful, it is powerful. It is a presentation of human tragedy: limited color scheme, broken and abstracted figures, suffering and pain. Innocents were exposed, street shopping on market day. Loss is everywhere. Inspired by the saturation bombing of a Basque village in 1937. It shows the village of Guernica after being bombed by Nazi Germans and Fascists Italians at the request of Spanish Nationalists. Drew attention to the Spanish Civil War. Also, symbols (see canvas)
Substance
Keep credibility by making sure your grammar, mechanics, and syntax are all right and not flawed
Describe Critical Thinking, its purposes and goals
Learn that there is a lot you don't know and that sometimes no one has the answers. Purpose: create light, not heat Definitions: -The bridge between Heaven and Earth...Welcoming iconoclastic information while steadfastly holding on to established truths... For the goal of Optimal Living: mind-body-spirit -To clearly and rationally consider both the pros and cons before coming to a point of view. An objective, logical, and balanced examination -The intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. **A digestion process based on, among other things, open-minded observation, experience, or reflection, reasoning, and resulting in an outcome that affects behavior. Purpose/Goal: to make a difference; evaluation í enjoyment í improvement; make us better human beings
Understand the creative process as, in part, a "need beyond reason," that has more aesthetic than practical motives.
Practical creations happen for a reason: we make dinner because we need food, we invent new energy technologies because we need power, we develop drug treatments because diseases exist that need to be treated. However, the arts represent a "need beyond reason," because for the most part, the arts are not practical. As you read in your text, an ancient artist who paints a design on a piece of pottery doesn't enhance its function, but the artist does enrich the lives of all those who see the design. The sonnet doesn't have a practical function, but it fills a need in the person who creates it, and it enriches those who read it.
Review John Ruskin's quote about understanding history more accurately through studying a culture's art, and consider how that quote might be applied to our own day and age.
Ruskin said, "Great nations write their autobiographies in three manuscripts: the book of their deeds, the book of their words, and the book of their art. Not one of these books can be understood unless we read the two others, but of the three the only trustworthy one is the last." If we believe Ruskin, then the painting would be the most reliable insight into the French Revolution.
Understand how the humanities is a holistic and interdisciplinary study
While studies in fields such as art or music tend to be quite focused and oriented toward developing practical skills (how to paint or sing), humanities classes themselves are interdisciplinary, which means that their purpose is to make connections between the larger fields traditionally known as the humanities. A humanities class might explore how the music or archi- tecture of eighteenth-century America reflects the reli- gious and philosophical ideals of that time and place. A holistic education not only provides scholastic information and qualifying skills but also cultivates ourability to meet the challenges of daily living. A holistic education teaches us to think and to respond, to listen and to empathize, to use resources, and to respect others. Ultimately, a study of the humanities allows us to craft facts into knowledge and to shape knowledge into wisdom.
Renaissance man or woman
a person who has broad intellectual interests and is accomplished in areas of both the arts and the sciences
Archetype
a recurring symbol or theme in art, lit- erature, and mythology. Examples include the Trickster character, the Nurturing Maternal character, and the Antagonist.
Genre
a type or category
Aesthetic
affecting the senses or taste, or the perception of the beautiful; primarily concerned with issues surrounding the creation, interpretation, and ultimate appreciation of works of art
Postmodernism
beginning in 1960s, this movement incorporates a sense of ambivalence about scientific achievements and technological advances and recognizes the benefits as well as drawbacks of life in late 20th century society
Interdisciplinary
broad field (liberal and fine arts)
How does the Humanities act as a bridge between sophic and mantic?
by application of critical thinking skills to analyze and communicate emotional experience
Contextualism
concerns the work and its artist in context - biographically and historically; What inspired the artist? What was their objective? How does it compare to other works of its time period?; looks at the artist's personal life; looks at artist's explanation and purposes
Prepare
deepen your perception of the arts by learning about them and getting some basic background information; study a theatre program, read the plaque next to a painting, attend a lecture about a new musical composition, research artist ad works of art in your library or online
The Study of Aesthetics
discovering and contemplating creative expression
Medieval definiton of humanities
education and training in the good arts and disciplines - skills that would most likely make people humane Liberal arts-->grammer, writing, logic, geometry, etc...
Holistic
encourages a sense of wonder
Formalism
evaluation of the work unfettered by information; emphasizes structural elements and artistic techniques rather than content; consideration of its form and purely visual aspects -frees viewer from any prejudices suggested by its context -your interpretation of the meaning is as valid as anyone's, including the artist -looks at line, color, and form alone by looking for the artistic qualities separate from the outside world -the work is an object, rather than considering the history, artists life, moral values, etc....
Participate
explore the arts through performances, screenings, exhibits, and numerous other events and experiences; get out in the community and discover the arts living in your own backyard; actively engage with the arts rather than being a passive consumer of it; be transformed, not just informed
Skills and strategies under "write" in the writing loop
invention, purpose, audience, substance, style
Renaissance
meaning "rebirth" (in this case a rebirth of Greek and Roman ideals), originat- ing in Florence, Italy from 1348 to 1517, it was a period characterized by the ideals of classic humanism, scientific naturalism, and individu- alism. The Italian Renaissance has been called "A Season of Giants" because it is the time period of Leonardo, Michelangelo, and Raphael
Avant-garde
referring to people or works that are experimental or innovative, particularly with respect to art, culture, and politics
Classical/classicism
referring to the Greco-Roman establishment of Western ideas and education
Reflect
seek feedback from teachers or peers; What worked well? Where do you still need improvement? What is your own personal response to your writing experience? What is best? What was most difficult? Goals to improve? *What did you truly learn through this experience of writing about the arts?
Remind yourself of the connection between religion or spirituality and the sophic/mantic concept.
so many scriptures that talk about balancing reason and emotion --> "the heart and the mind" to know what is right and true
Pascal: Reason vs. Emotion Debate
tension of a human duality - an integral war in man between reason and the passions
Modern definiton of humanities
the study of languages, lit- erature, history, and philosophy; the history, criticism, and theory of the arts; the history of law, religion, and science
invention
thoughts generated in our minds as we encounter the arts; -we should quickly write down our ideas before they disappear; "free writing"; -take extensive notes on your first impression and thoughts, pose questions, make random connections, comment on your own emotional reactions, etc.... (but don't' write during a performance as it is distracting) -after recording jumbled thoughts, organize them into ideas - outlining, clustering, doodling, talking through ideas with a friend, etc.....
Coming of age
transition from childhood to adulthood with all the accompanying complications and excitements.
Nietzsche: Reason vs. Emotion Debate
uses the Greek gods Apollo (sun) and Dionysus (wine and chaos) to describe how society in his day had elevated the Apollonian (reason, facts, science), over the Dionysina (emotion, impulse, instinct) -a purely Apollonian (reason, facts, science) society rant he risk of cutting itself off from a greater depth of feeling, from more intense emotional responses to experiences in life, including experiences with the arts -challenged Plato/Greek idea
Jesus Christ
viewed as more mantic but manifested a balance as He was found in the temple as a young boy listening and asking questions to doctors. All who heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers and intellect and knowledge. As He grew up he continued to contend with Saducees and Pharisees both with mantic and Sophia reasoning (ex: the accused adulteress - "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her"
Socrates
viewed as more sophic but manifested a balance as his logical discussions often centered on ideas or concepts that are intangible or abstract like beauty and virtue. He also admitted that he was often steered away from harmful, wrong, or bad things by a divine guide - a truly mantic admission
Why is a more "holistic" approach, with a balance between sophic and mantic, is desirable?
we can experience life on a deeper emotional level wile also honing our skills of observation and communication
Themes from Neil Postman's Speech
we can live our life and survive whether we live like the Greeks or the Visigoths -it is harder and takes more effort to be a Greek, but it is more rewarding and happier
Aesthetic
what affects the senses and how -final product is joy
Audience
writing that is aware of its audience tends to engage its audience; considers the expectations as well as the limitations of the readers
