Before I read the article “Food as Art”, I do not think that food can be considered as art, but after read this article, I changed my mind about the relationship between art and food. As Telfer mentions in her article, cookery is also an art craft “ if the distinction between craft and art is based on the degree of creativeness, some cookery can still qualify as an art”(p.16). That’s sound interesting! But it is a reasonable point. Because when cooks make a cake, they are like the artists, every cake in their hands is a craft. It includes the cooks’ emotions and their passions. So, to some extent, make cakes are like create an art craft. In addition, Telfer states that “ cooking can in one sense be an expression of emotion, a cook can cook as an act of love, as we have seen, or out of the joy of living”(p.26). I think this point is good, because when people cooking food, they always feel happy, such as a wife cook food for her husband and children, she cooking food with love and she is enjoyable. Because in my opinion, art can improve the quality of people’s lives and let people live better and happier. Since food can give a family happiness and enjoyment, so food can be regarded as art. Just like Dissanayake said in her article “What is Art for”, she mentioned that art includes “all of human history, all human societies, it is a psychological or emotional need and has psychological or emotional effects”(p.15). Because art is contains human’s emotions, food cooking also contains people’s emotions, so the relationship between food and art is close. Thus, the author said that food can be regarded as art is reasonable, because this makes people more comprehensive understanding of food and art. So, after read this article, I learned more things about art.

1. Describe the term paleoanthropsychobiological. Who coined this term?

The author, Ellen Dissanayake coined the term“paleoanthropsychobiological”. This term included three parts: human history, human societies, psychology and emotion need/effect. As Dissanayake mentioned in the article “First, that the idea of art encompassed all of human history; second, that it include all human societies; and third, that it account for the fact that art is a psychological or emotional need and has psychological or emotional effects” (p.15)。The author used this special word“paleoanthropsychobiological” to make people want to know more about art.

2. What does Dissanayake mean by the phrase “making special”? How does it relate to art and to human survival?

Dissanayake said the phrase “making special” means “particularly things that one cares deeply about or activities whose outcome has strong personal significance” (p.22). which means art is a good way to make yourself special and the author would like to highlight the art is a great significance for the individual stuff. In addition, Dissanayake states that “making special” also means “something that is ‘special’ is different from the mundane, the everyday, the ordinary. It is extra-ordinary” (p.22). It is likely she wants to tell the readers that art is from our normal life, but art is also can make our life different and special.

3. Dissanayake identifies many different theories/movement/periods of art throughout western european history. Name three different theories of art that Dissanayake mentions in her essay. Identify the time period when each theory developed and was prominent. Provide a brief description of the philosophies and ideas that define each theory/movement/period of art. Support your answer with quotes from the reading.

There are three theories of art that Dissanayake mentions. First is the man-centered concerns, which was developed in the medieval times. As the writer said “Renaissance artists gradually replaced God-centered with man-centered concerns, but their works continued to portray a recognizable world” (Dissanayake p.16). That means art is always change by the time, so that to apply to all over the world. Second, modernism, which was developed in the 19th century. Dissanayake mentioned that  “there is a special frame of mind of appreciating works of art-a ‘disinterested’ attitude that is separate from one’s own personal interest in the object, its utility, or its social or religious ramifications” (p.17). The author explained that art is ideology, it is related with social and religious. Third, postmodernism, it means art is interpretation. which was developed in the 20th century. Dissanayake pointed out that postmodernism is “a point of view that calls into question two centuries of assumptions about the elite and special nature of art” (p.19).

In the article “What is Art for?” the writer, Ellen Dissanayake wants to give us a new way to think about art. The writer talks about the western art history shortly, and give some opinions about art to the readers. Dissanayake thinks that art is important, it included “all of human history, all human societies, it is a psychological or emotional need and has psychological or emotional effects”(p.15). In my opinion, art is important for a country and people’s life. Each country has a lot of valuable works of art, these things have value because they are usually the epitome of an era, a lot of art is reflected in a certain moment of that era, perhaps just an afternoon view but this is help for future generations to understand the history. In addition, Art is a good way to allow people to put their feelings in their works, such as painting, there are many valuable works of art are include the feelings of the artist’s. Because these artworks have artists’ feelings and emotions, thus, they are easy to be accepted and loved by people.

Otherwise, the author states that art is “as normal as natural as language, sex, sociability, aggression, or any of the other characteristics of human nature”(Dissanayake,p.15). I’m totally agreeing her opinions, because I think our life is full of art. When I was 10 years old, I started learning painting, I would be more concerned about the things around than before, at the beginning of time I learning sketch, I started observed people around me, later, when I learning gouache I began to observe the scenery around me. Perhaps because I’m learning painting, I think our lives are filled with art everywhere, whether it is human physical and verbal or the beautiful natural scenery. So this article is meaningful, because this article not only makes a better understanding of the arts, but also to make people more aware of the importance of the arts.

1. Family 2.Health 3.Friendship 4.Wisdom 5. Enjoyment

6. Personal Accomplishment 7.Creativity 8.
Loyalty
 9.Location 10.
Integrity
11.community 12.Personal Development 13.Independence14.Leadership 15.Wealth 16.Service 17.Prestige18. Expertness 19.Security 20.Power

Today is Saturday, I went up early and skyped with my family in China. According to Lunar Calendar, today is “the double ninth festival”, which is also my lunar birthday. Thus, I had a great talk with my parents and told them my miss to them. This represents my top value of “family”. At noon, I cooked lunch with my friends and we went to Safeway after that. This represents the value of “friendship”. In the afternoon, I went to the library and studied for my major course. This indicates the value of “wisdom”. Then, I went to the gym and had a short work out. I think this reflects my “health” values. I think my top 5 values match well to the activities that I pursued today, and my top 4 values” family, health, friendship and wisdom” all represented in my daily activity. I think “enjoyment” is also represented, since I enjoyed doing my work including study, and I had fun when I was thinking and understanding.

1. For the belief patterns I inherit from my family, I think is “family, health, wealth and prestige”. My parents always tell me, “No mater what happen in your life, remember, your family will always support behind you.” I am so encouraged by this word, especially when I went abroad and lived alone in the U.S. I never felt lonely when I remember this word. The “health” value is inherited from my grandmother, she was very good at sports. She keeps fit now even though she is over 80 years old. She told me the importance of exercise and that health is always my capital.
2. I think the “prestige and wealth” values are no longer valid according to my acknowledgement. Parents always put their hopes onto their children and hope them become successful or to be seen as successful person. However, I think doing something I enjoy is much more important than getting recognition from others. Different people have their own explanation about success. In my opinion, to have fun doing something can bring me a feeling of satisfaction. To me, that is called success. No matter what the results are or how much money I can get from it.
3. Recently, my goals for myself that I have yet to pursue are my plan to further my study in graduate school about nutrition and my plan to travel around the south part of the U.S.
4. I am working on my applications to some graduate programs and I think the goal will come true in the future if I make enough effort. In addition, I am talking with my friends recently, who had experience about travel to southern part of the U.S. I want to get more information and experience before starting my plan of self-driving travel.

After reading Lewis’s article” A Question of Values: Six Ways We Make the Personal Choices That Shape Our Lives”, I find it is really helpful to understand and re-examine my personal values through the four basic interior mental modes and two major synthetic mental modes. According to the author, sense experience, deductive logic, emotion and intuition are the only four basic methods that we come to know something (Lewis,10). I agree with this point because I find these four modes almost cover all circumstances when I develop my values at first glance. For example, when I operate chemical experiment at the lab, my knowledge is directly gained from my own five senses. I can only interpret the results through what I have seen, touched or smelled. In addition, we need deductive reasoning to understand surrounding with consistency. For instance, we all know that we need to take the responsibility to our families. By deductive logic, we understand that our country is a bigger family that we all have responsibility to it. Thus, we may develop “loyalty” as our lifelong value. The author also mentioned two synthetic modes, called “authority” and “science”. I agree with his example about authority, since religion belief is always associated with authority, emotion and intuition. We are born with different cultural backgrounds. For me, the belief that Buddha is sacred and can bring people good luck, formed early in my heart since my childhood. In addition, my emotion and intuition automatically give Buddha with awe and belief.

At the last, the author indicates that, “ Sorting through available value choices in a systematic way is arguably more important than any of the other discretionary things we do”(Lewis,18). I totally agree with this idea and I find this reading really help me to re-examine my personal values. Without clear values, our life won’t be satisfied and happy. I am curious, besides these six ways to develop values, are there other modes to help us get to know something?