Morality & Market Capitalism...

During the class discussion morality and market capitalism interested me in particular because the terms exhibit fundamental animal behavior from my perspective. Shows like "Meerkat Manor" and studies of penguin mating rituals display evidence constantly. The male penguin with the nicest pebble/rock for the female earns mating rights with her. Sound familiar? Meerkats discipline family members for breaking social rank, and attack or retaliate rival family groupings. Our society values materialistic stature and competes for family benefit in the workforce against environmental surroundings for an advantage. I think Morality is not a human construction because even in other animal groupings these boundaries of behavior are in place. The organisms do not term it as "morality" but they recognize their role and expectations within a group and often punishment (banishment) may occur for misbehavior, like our dysfunctional prison system. I don't think Market Capitalism is a human construction either because of its existence among other organisms in nature.

Electronic Red Apples....

The electron is definitely not a human construction because this particle of matter would exist even if humans did not. Our perception of electrons is the differing element, no pun intended. What we think we see in an ES microscope and the roles we believe electrons play in matter and function of materials is what changes and makes it constructed in our minds and reality.

This is similar to my stance on the color red. I think if humans did not exist, the thing which we perceive as "red" would still be an occurrence in the world but could be called by another title by another organism, however it would still be the same object. I feel the same way about Apples, and most fruit in general. These plants are a part of nature and would continue to exist whether or not we cultivated them for specific purposes, like consumption. Another organism may call them by another name, or the fruit could be poisonous to other systems of anatomy, but the object itself remains constructed by nature.

Partial Human Construction....

I think the number three is partially a human construction because without our existence, units of items would still be able to exist in such a formation. However it is us, the human race, who give it the title "Three" designating the formation from others by different titles. So, I think the certain grouping of items in such a way is not a human construction, while the title we give it is constructed. I hope that wasn't too redundant! Some of these are hard to explain, but that's the point I suppose.

I have a similar attitude toward Music. I feel that music is partly a human construction because when we hear something which provokes aesthetic emotion towards the sound we think of it in our terms as "music." However, songbirds chirping may also provoke this emotion and exists independently of us in nature. To the birds it is not music, but their language and means of communication. I really like Prof. Johnson's definition of music, "the creative organization of sound." It applies the term "organized sound" from our reading and adds the element of necessary creativity to make something new and likable to at least one other individual.

Time is another partial human construction because it may exist if we do not, but humans have constructed means to measure and value "time" as is passes at 60 minutes per hour into the future. I think moments are measured differently on each planet and solar system dependent upon orbit of the largest influencing gravitational body. The universe as a whole however, expands and ages independent of the smaller systems. If I had to choose only one and not a middle, I would pick not a human construction over entirely human construction because time would continue if humans became extinct and our clocks stopped.

Last Notes on Music....

Music is present in many forms and styles, some not yet discovered. I enjoy numerous genres of music, so I also agree proposals for any kind of definition must focus on common properties to music. The term Organized Sound, however does support the wide diversities in taste for certain sounds. However, the subject of “music” holds such variety and dynamic to choice that a precise definition is nearly impossible in order to correctly justify the phenomena of its power and use to civilization.

I'm still sticking to art and music as indefinable, in case you couldn't tell. Music is sacred to the human race in a way. I'm not sure we could function without it in society because its role to each individual differs so widely. Whether it's to calm one down or jolt one up, as an aid to concentration or an escape from a present situation, music is what we use and have consistently used over the ages.

Still Open - Ended...

I have re-read the music article, and I still think music is indefinable, as with art. Across cultures music holds different meanings and rules of composition creating totally different sounds and properties, but it is all recognized as music. There will always be attempts to create some complete explanation. However, we cannot define music with absolute rules; the equation must allow enough dynamic for future developments in creativity and also the mediums of expression.

Music as Art and Individual...

I read the article on music and still find it very difficult to agree with one definition or another. Music can take many forms and styles, some not yet discovered. I enjoy the numerous genres of music, so I also agree any kind of definition must focus on common properties to music. I like the term "organized sound," I think it simply emphasizes two major components of most music, however not all.

Some sounds are not organized, or reproduced by another musician, therefore takes away from the "neatness" of this term. I guess in this sense music has a scientific appeal to me. An artist will compose a piece with the hard work, skill, and intention to have themselves or another recreate (replay) that piece of music, just as a scientist would with new experiments. Birds chirping in nature was an example used in class of interpretive music. It has sound, and to the bird it's organized, but to our ears at first listen it may not be anything in particular. Then if one listens more closely may find rhythm, tone, and harmony with other birds; however, these 'nature sounds' may not be music to everyone just like techno and computer sounds are not considered music because the sounds are produced by an unconventional method.

To me, music is much like art objects. We call a composer of paintings and staffs by the common term 'artist,' aside from painter, musician, or sculptor. Aside from my other opinions on defining music, I agree most that perhaps, like art, it should not be defined. Instead, be content that sound is music when we hear it and it provokes the common aesthetic emotion, just like art object to each individual. Whether the song sad or happy, and the painting cheery or woeful, the same connection is made to the piece making it music and art to the person experiencing it.

And the List Goes On....

1. WMDs
2. Saddam Hussein
3. Spread Democracy
4. Chaos will ensue if we leave
5. Iran

The top five reasons, if I listened correctly, to the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. All of them sicken me because the information slowly coming out to the public completely discredits each one. I don't believe the US public was naive about the war. I think many knew a conflict of this nature would be difficult and foreign policy is hardly ever simple. However, I also think the people remembered the Vietnam & Korean War and wanted to avoid another military mistake, while others recalled the success of Desert Storm. The public opinion of events may depend on the information given to them; they want to have support for elected officials and what representatives do for the people. When America was told more frequently about foreign threats, more terrorist attacks, and constant heightened alerts the public wanted to rally around what it was told, and the given intelligence, so the public opinion of Iraq was a little more than half. However, when the facts slowly and consistently trickled in, public opinion soon fell quickly.

This is not our victory nor should we want it to be, that would take away the last thread of hope to redeem this entire endeavor. Victory and success would never mean the same thing, or have the same look there for the Iraqi people in the same manner we, in America would expect it to have. Although this does not excuse the disaster unfolding before us, the time is now to finally do something right.