Hi Roger and Marco, your discussion is very illuminating, but I need to
have things simpler.
First we have to define "art." I see a number of definitions which need to
be disentangled (maybe there are more):
1. Art is the fine arts: painting, drama, literature, etc., which intend to
"hold a mirror up to nature" by selectively representing SOCIAL, BIOLOGICAL
OR INORGANIC value patterns. But already here we have a problem with music,
which is commonly included in this group but actually is a selective
representation of mathematics, an INTELLECTUAL value pattern. Anyway, let
us continue with the common use of the term "art". This definition of art
does not include a judgment of whether the work is "good" art: it only
includes all works that are constructed within the 'rules' of these
disciplines. Thus, any painting is "art."
2. Art is "good" or succesful attempts at (1) as distinguished from bad or
unsuccessful art. People disagree on whether a painting is "art" or "kitsch."
3. Art is the "magical" harmony that sometimes occurs when a craftsperson
or fine artist is in tune with their material. Here we differentiate
between "art" and "craft."
4. From the creator's point of view, art is the ATTEMPT to make "good" art
(see #2) by creating a new pattern in the fine arts. This is an attempt to
get outside the static patterns of the SOCIAl and INTELLECTUAL levels.
These distinctions are important because #1 is concerned with the LANGUAGE,
#2 is concerned with whether or not DQ has been introduced in an "artistic"
language, #3 is concerned with whether or not DQ has been introduced in a
(usually) social language, and #4 is the search to put DQ into a static
pattern.
-----
I'm not sure which one of these you are talking about at different
times. So here is my definition:
- The language of art (#1) is used to either a) bring DQ to or b) show the
DQ in one of the levels. The language can be biological (a plant breeder),
social (a dance) or intellectual (a piece of music).
- The artist uses the form of communication appropriate to the level: in
these examples, gene transfer, physical movement, mathematical relationships.
- In this sense, art (#2) is biological, social or intellectual, depending
on the language.
- But in another sense art is 'above' these levels, because animals cannot
make art (#4). To make art we use a patterning ability far stronger and
more complex than that of other life forms. I would argue that at some
point our ability to use intuition and creativity has become equivalent to
the Intellectual level, because through art (#2) it has the ability to
affect the Social level in the same way that logical, rational thought
can. Also, the artist (#4) tries to communicate DQ to the other levels, a
goal it shares with Intellect.
Humans in society developed two technologies for understanding the world,
Intellect (logic, rational thought, music) and Art. Both intellectual
inquiry and art create static patterns (a philosophy, a painting), but we
usually think that only the Intellectual static patterns are capable of
being a level of their own. In fact, the entire subject of "Art History" is
about the influence of artists on each other. "Art History" (and the
history of theatre, literature, etc.) is the static pattern of Art. But
these subjects are often ignored, because they do not help one get a job in
our SOM world. But I can imagine a world where the study of Art is an
equally important part of education (The Glass Bead Game?)
I suggest that we should think of Intellect and Art as two separate but
equal levels above the social level.
Einstein is an artist in sense #3, a craftsperson of intellect--like
us--who accessed DQ. Anyone can be an artist in their work in this way. But
it is not the same as #4, Art is the DELIBERATE attempt to bring in DQ or
show DQ.
Thanks to all. This thinking is hard work I wouldn't do otherwise.
Danila
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