Hi, Glenn -- thanks for the link to Caldaria, it looks like a very good
forum (now bookmarked). I found intriguing your quote there by Jack
Burnham that "new spiritual insights into the normality of materialism are
needed." That is, in my view, very much what this discussion is about, and
it falls neatly into the domain of Art-Science. The territory, though, is
loose underfoot -- pitfalls including slippage into pseudoscience and new
ageism, among others.
That is why I think that a _populist_ discussion/deconstruction of the
commonplace concept "supernatural" needs to ensue, at least in those
cultures that permit such open discourse. In Art-Science, art has taken up
with a partner that specifically excludes the supernatural from its world
view, and so Art-Science needs to awaken to the fact that ownership of
this discourse comes with the territory. The process of developing the
so-called 'new spiritual insights' needs to carefully sidestep the hazards
of pseudoscience and maintain the integrity of a true scientific world
view -- the one with which art has ostensibly chosen to partner.
As you predicted, I agree with the nicely poetic first part of your quoted
passage below. But the sentence could have ended at "powers." From what
place in the imagination is the "Great Face" conjured? The unknown? Is it
the face of God-of-the-Gaps? The second part of the passage is precisely
the problem for Art-Science.
So I would ask the Yasmin list members -- is there a pseudo-science
element concealed within the Art-Science enterprise?
Good post, Glenn -- thanks again,
/stephen
On 10/15/14 7:42 PM, "Glenn Smith" <gsmith@space-machines.com> wrote:
>Dear Stephen,
>
>By way of understanding your position, I am wondering
>to what extent you would agree with this famous
>passage by Loren Eiseley which concludes his
>"Immense Journey", and the first part of which was
>cited by Carl Sagan in his synoptic article "Life"
>for the 15th edition of the Britannica:
>
>"I would say that if 'dead' matter has reared up this
>curious landscape of fiddling crickets, song sparrows,
>and wondering men, it must be plain even to the most
>dedicated materialist that the matter of which he speaks
>contains amazing, if not dreadful powers, and may not
>impossibly be, as Hardy has suggested, 'but one mask
>of many worn by the Great Face behind.'"
>
>My guess is that you might agree with the first part
>of this passage; but it is the second -- the reference to
>the "Great Face behind" -- with which you specifically
>and forcefully disagree.
>
>Some of my own thoughts on this subject have already
>been expressed in a new journal dedicated precisely to
>the "nexus of art, science, and the sublime":
>
>http://www.caldaria.org/2014/02/the-beat-goes-on-review-by-g-w-smith.html
>
>At any rate, this should be a fascinating conversation!
>
>Regards,
>G. W. (Glenn) Smith
>www.space-machines.com
>
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