Category: Assignments

Unit 05

Person 1

I see a young woman in her twenties at the library reading a book. I think that she is dressed up very professional because she is wearing jeans, a blouse with buttons and a cardigan with some flats. I believe that she cares about looking professional and clean. I feel that she takes pride in her education with the way she presents and carries herself. I believe that she is into her studies and values an education because she is at the library reading a history book and looks like she is writing a paper on it. I believe that she is white, educated and healthy young woman. She takes care of herself and looks like she is healthy because she is not over weight or too skinny. I feel that she isn’t stressed out because she is very calm and composed as she is working on her history assignment. She has long brown hair that is curly and looks clean. I think this young woman cares about her body, education and health because she looks happy and studious.

Person 2

I see a young man playing softball on a coed team. I think that he is athletic because he is playing on an intramural team and has hit the ball every time and made a homerun.  He is in crazy colorful shorts and a cut off fraternity t-shirt. He has Nike frees on that look like they are in good condition. I feel that he is also a young white man in his twenties as well. I think that he is a family guy because he is in a fraternity and respects his brotherhood. I feel that he takes care of himself as well because he is being active and has a built body. I believe that he is in a good emotional condition because he is laughing, smiling and enjoying his time with his friends.  I feel that he has an outgoing personality because it connects with the outfit that he is wearing. I believe that he is a bubbly person because he is enjoying the sunshine and in a friendly mood.

Person 3

I see an older man who I feel looks like he is in his 50’s. He is currently cutting someone’s lawn and cleaning it up.  I think that he is hard working because it is for once a hot day in Eugene and he is out here cutting grass in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. He is wearing white running shoes and a baseball cap to keep the sun from his eyes. I feel that he doesn’t really care about his appearance right now since he is doing lawn work. I feel that he is hard working because he is being efficient with the way he is working and it is early so he is starting his day being productive.  I feel that he is of Mexican decent because he looks to be very tan with dark facial features. I believe that he since he is older is not that active because he is a litter bigger than his expected size. I believe that he is in a good emotional state because he waves and stops cutting when people walk by. I feel that he is friendly and happy with life but also needs to work hard in life to get by.

Unit 04

I believe that food is a form of art. There have been many dishes that I have ordered that are absolutely beautiful. Chefs have the opportunity to be very creative with food by cutting it into different shapes, adding color, and making a design. I think that chefs absolutely create art with their food because all the different designs and creations they make. “It is obvious that foodstuffs can be made into visual objects which are works of art.” (p. 13) Reading this article it really surprised me with the different reasons to why food is not viewed as art. I was very surprised to read that people refuse to count food as a work of art in evaluative sense relates to the physicality of the way we appreciate food. I am not sure why this even matters? I don’t see this being a strong enough point to argue to why food is not art. I could agree with the reading that works of art in food cannot gain the same stature as those of greater permanence. That is one important reason why food must remain a relatively minor art. I agree with the reading that fireworks, flowers and flower arranging would be considered minor art.  I feel that we should label food art to be minor art than no art. It is still creative and has a visual appeal just as much as a statue or painting would. Dissanayake said in her reading, “To think of art as a behavior of making special is truly a change of paradigm. Usually art refers to objects- paintings, pictures, dances, musical compositions works of art that are the results of artistic behavior. (p. 25) This connects to art because food designs have results of artistic behavior. Food has the ability to bring light or joy to someone’s day because of the creative and beauty that is behind it.

What is Art For?

The term paleoanthropsychobiological was coined by Ellen Dissanayake. When breaking down the word it literally means the study of mental processes and social interactions of ancient people. Paleo means ancient, anthrop is human, psych is mind, bi is life and log is study. I view it to be defined as ancient thoughts of the mind by a person who is studying living things. I relate this with art as humans use history, mind, life and study to create something beautiful. I think Ellen uses this word to describe that art is all around us and it is the make up of who we are as humans.

Dissanayake means by the phrase “making special” that anything in our world is valued as important. I think she is arguing that in life we enjoying making things special and that art is no different. I feel that she is explaining that if we believe in art and view it as special, then the art will be special. Art is created in many different ways through each person’s creative, perspectives and emotions. Expressing art is a very special thing and that people need to view art through this light of “making it special.” In order to see the beauty in it, it needs to stand out and be appreciated for what it is.

One theory of art is the renaissance, which occurred during the medieval times. The time frame for this was around the 14th to 16th century. This theory indicates that art is used as service of religion.  People’s views of art are different from the art of the artists during this time period. “It meant having a correct understanding of the principles involved, rather as we understand the art.” (Dissanayake p. 16) Different trends occurring during the Renaissance time that moved people away from strict religion and towards freedom of life.

Another theory of art is modernism, which refers to art as ideology. This theory was around the 18- 19th century. Art in modernism is focused on the personal experience of human beings and the value of human nature. “Art had become if not a religion, an ideology whose principles were articulated by and for the few who had leisure and education enough to acquire them.” ( Dissanayake p. 18) People’s view towards art is changing but more opened views bring more people to see art in a new look.

The last theory of art is postmodernism, which refers to as interpretation. This theory was around the mid 20th century. This theory challenges the “modernist ideology” that art can be the intrinsic of everybody and viewed anywhere in our everyday life. This theory supports the idea that art is universal and anybody is able to understand art, even though his or her meaning may be a little different. “Art is not universal, but conceptually constructed by individuals whose perceptions are necessarily limited and parochial.” (Dissanayake p. 19)

Unit 03

This piece by Ellen Dissanayake brings out many different ideas and concepts that represent what is viewed as “art.” Dissanayake explains in the reading “to think of art as a behavior of making special is truly a change of paradigm, or that art is given to objects that possess some quality of beauty, harmony, excellence and denied to those that do not.” (p. 26) The reading expressed how art is a normal and necessarily behavior of human beings that illustrate love, learning, working, playing etc that should be developed in everyone. “Looking at all humans as members of one species and then thinking of art as a kind of behavior that developed as they evolved to help them survive.” (p. 16) I thought this was interesting because living in another culture in makes you realize the differences in each other’s beliefs and how we still all connect together through the creation of art.  I have never looked at art in a way that Dissanayake describes in her reading. I used to think that I wasn’t involved with art because I couldn’t draw, sing, paint or be creative, but Ellen has given me a wide range of what art actually represents. What really stood out to me in the reading was how it mentions the verities of human conditions such as love, death, suffering, loss and reprieve to be see as art. The reading explained how they have been the subject matter of and occasion for the arts throughout human history. It was already difficult for me to see what some of the ideas and topics Ellen considered to be “art” and then throw in death, suffering and loss as a topic of “art” was mind twisting. I question what about those topics represent art? Is it the different meanings that, expressions or revelations that cause human concern? I am interested in finding out if others see something as sad or depressing as a form of art and what examples they could provide to give me more insight.

 

Forming Values

Family

Health

Friendship

Personal Development

Independence

Personal Accomplishment

Loyalty

Enjoyment

Wealth

Leadership

Power

Community

Location

Security

Wisdom

Prestige

Service

Integrity

Expertness

Creativity

 

Today was Thursday, I had two hours of class and went for a run. Going to class represented my own personal development and accomplishment because I want to reach my own goals of getting a college degree. I got my desire and passion to get an education from the belief patterns from my family. My mom, brothers and extended family value education so it was a given that I was to follow in the same footsteps. Going for a run was something that I did for enjoyment and for health. A goal I have is to stay active and healthy.  To reach this goal I have to work out 5 days a week and eating clean. I set this goal for myself so I can live longer and have a long happy life. I also spent a lot of time with my friends. What stands in the way of reaching my goals at times is the busy college life style I have. At times I am caught up doing homework I can’t work out or I have to grab food on the go.

We watched movies, went out for sushi, and ran errands. Spending the day with my friends represented how important they are and how much I value friendships.  My community and location are very important to me because I enjoy the college town I live in and the friends I have made. Eugene is a huge part of my life because it represents many of these values. I am able to have enjoyment, friends, independence, leadership, and expertness.

 

Unit 02

The reading defined values as, “it should be synonymous with personal evaluations and related beliefs, especially personal evaluations and related beliefs about the “good” the “just” personal evaluations and beliefs that propel us to action to a particular kind of behavior and life.” (p. 7) When doing the reading it questioned, “Do values, in sense of freely chosen values, truly exist? Are human beings instead driven by inherited instincts? I found this interesting because I agree with the reading when it quoted, “there is a good deal of evidence that human beings are not primarily driven by genetically determined instincts but are rather free to make their own choices.”(p. 7)

I agree with the reading that we are not driven by immutable instincts but are still controlled by the influence of genes on our underlying personality. I have related to the idea that individual human beings are programmed into their values with the influence of social pressures.  Many people feel free to express their personal beliefs that connect with their choice and freedom. Another part that stood out to me in the reading was the key questions, starting with beliefs by asking ourselves how we come to believe anything. I feel that many people actually believe this belief because often times people believe anything they read or hear that comes from the media. People are quick to believe anything they hear, which is why I connect with the reading with the idea to make a list of such beliefs and then ask yourself, why do I believe this? I feel that this is something we should start doing more often and questioning why we believe this and what affect it has on us as an individual and are values. Overall, I feel that we need to recognize our values more often and follow the basic ways we come to know something that the article provides.

Unit 01

This is my link to the blog that I’m writing a response for.

With how busy students get in college and how easy it is to grab fast food on the go, we tend to forget about our health. I chose this blog because I felt that it was a good reminder to how important our health really is. Our body is a temple and I feel that many people take it for granted. In the past my family has struggled with different health issues and I want to live a long healthy life style. With being a busy college student, I tend to grab things on the go, late night snacking and lots of desserts.  The blog provides advice on how to live a healthy and active lifestyle. What stood out to me about this blog is it isn’t one that is focused on being skinny and your appearance. The blog provides advice that make you want to be health for the right reasons and not what society provides.

-The sole purpose of maintaining a healthy weight is to be able to live a long life without health issues, not just to look “good”.

-The best thing you can do is love yourself and remember there is a purpose for being at a weight that is HEALTHY.

-Stay posted for my favorite products, healthy recipes, nutrition tips, and advice to help promote a healthier YOU!!

I enjoy the encouragement the blog provides for all of us health lovers, because it does make you want to make healthy changes to live a healthy life with our loved ones. Start making changes now!