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danny shorkend

Gordon College, English, Faculty Member

The NB Haifa School of Design, English, Faculty Member

Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Department of Humanities and Arts, Faculty Member

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I am an artist and academic. I teach at Gordon College and Shaanan College. I wish to inspire through my reserach writings, teaching and art.
Phone: 00927 584075523
Address: Haifa, Israel

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Papers by danny shorkend

Neither Atheist, not believer nor yet agnostic: Towards a fourth position

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jun 18, 2023

This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It wa... more This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It was found that although they each appear to contain a kernel of truth, there are various deficiencies in each argument. It is then put forward an alternative to such positions and one that appears to embrace them all, while in itself not being anything of substance. Yet it is precisely in such insubstantiality that the debate itself is resolved or dissolves and anamorphous "form" follows, one that may save us from the often-devastating decisions to be any one of atheist, believer or agnostic and instead invites a more holistic perception and a less rigid way of being. One that is less attached to identity and "truth" and more akin to the flowing nature of water or the penetrating beauty of light. This I dub "the fourth position" (dimension), though the name is insignificant.

Neither Atheist, not believer nor yet agnostic: Towards a fourth position

GPH-INT. JOURNAL OF Social Science & Humanities Research, Vol. 06, Issue 06, June-2023,, 2023

This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It wa... more This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It was found that although they each appear to contain a kernel of truth, there are various deficiencies in each argument. It is then put forward an alternative to such positions and one that appears to embrace them all, while in itself not being anything of substance. Yet it is precisely in such insubstantiality that the debate itself is resolved or dissolves and an amorphous "form" follows, one that may save us from the often-devastating decisions to be any one of atheist, believer or agnostic and instead invites a more holistic perception and a less rigid way of being. One that is less attached to identity and "truth" and more akin to the flowing nature of water or the penetrating beauty of light. This I dub "the fourth position" (dimension), though the name is insignificant.

The American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (THEAJHSSR, vol 6, issue 1 2022-3) , 2023

In this essay, I explore three key "moments" in art history and theory which allow me to construc... more In this essay, I explore three key "moments" in art history and theory which allow me to construct the argument that art is available to all and that participation in what it has to offer will of necessity develop individuals as well as collective societies. Art need not be defined in terms of traditional forms, nor is it especially rare and simply a gift or talent. Rather, it will be described as a natural disposition or state that we can all develop, the fruits of which are valuable and even suggest a utopian outcome.

Forging a New Paradigm: On the Structure of the Interdisciplinary and its Application (part 3)

Innovare Journal of Education

This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of w... more This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of what this New Paradigm is. In section two, I develop this paradigm and suggest a visualization of it, a structure as it were. This will assist in a more thorough understanding of such a paradigm. Theoretical speculations and modeling aside or rather avoiding a “purely” philosophical bias, I then apply this model to an example culled from art and aesthetics, yet involving, in line with this New Paradigm, other disciplines such as science and sport in order to exemplify or perhaps prove my argument, by virtue of the “mixture” or inter-disciplinary framework as applied to several different variables. This section forms the bulk of the article as such an application concretizes the theoretical framework in specific ways so that the reader will ascertain the usefulness of such a venture, which in turn ought to spur and spawn future research.

Forging a New Paradigm: On the Structure of the Interdisciplinary and Its Application (Part 4)

Social science, humanities and sustainability research, Mar 10, 2022

This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of w... more This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of what this New Paradigm is. In section two, I develop this paradigm and suggest a visualization of it, a structure as it were. This will assist in a more thorough understanding of such a paradigm. Theoretical speculations and modelling aside or rather avoiding a "purely" philosophical bias, I then apply this model to an example culled from art and aesthetics, yet involving, in line with this New Paradigm, other disciplines such as science and sport in order to exemplify or perhaps prove my argument, by virtue of the "mixture" or inter-disciplinary framework as applied to several different variables. This section forms the bulk of the article as such an application concretizes the theoretical framework in specific ways so that the reader will ascertain the usefulness of such a venture, which in turn ought to spur and spawn future research.

The Meaning of Art: A Compilation of Essays

The Visual Sense and the Power of Art

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Aug 28, 2021

Is Art as Valuable to Society as Science?

Saudi Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2022

In this article, I argue in favor of the idea that art is as valuable, perhaps even more so than ... more In this article, I argue in favor of the idea that art is as valuable, perhaps even more so than science in a given society. I base this on the principles that art is well appointed to teach morality; as an educational tool; to foster empathy; enabling abstract thought through form and play and governed by aesthetic principles, the precondition for knowledge as it were. I believe this is a timely and necessary argument to be made in an increasingly technocratic and materialistic society where philosophical speculation and art as “deep” are often overlooked. I also believe there is a dialectic between art and science in the first place so that it is not a matter of pitting such disciplines against each other as it were.

POST Modern Art in Relation to Sport

Insight - Sports Science, Dec 21, 2018

In this article, I develop the implications of the Post Modern "language turn" first for art and ... more In this article, I develop the implications of the Post Modern "language turn" first for art and then applied to sport. The combined idea of ineffability and meaninglessness seems to pervade art and post-modern sports. There is a sense of heightened body culture in contemporary sports that draws from a philosophical and art-aesthetic heritage. I then end with a model that suggests the dialectic between art and sport that i believe could be a sub section or parralell the better known relationship, namely that between sport and science or sports science.

The interdisciplinary nexus between art and science and the play of the aesthetic

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022

It is usually assumed that each discipline ranging from the humanities to the sciences forms a ne... more It is usually assumed that each discipline ranging from the humanities to the sciences forms a neat, separate and irreducible mode of analysis and area of expertise. The great body of knowledge accumulated over time, is a testimony to the many advances in each field. Often new fields and sub fields are established, but in the main there appears to be a separation between the humanities and the sciences; two cultures as it has often been described. While this is a useful partition, it may be but a fiction. For whether one is talking about either such disciplines, it remains human knowledge all the same and therefore subject to the same perceptual apparatus and history, albeit science claims neutrality and objectivity, while the humanities and the arts, the subjective and more imaginative domain. Nevertheless, such distinctions may be spurious and shortsighted. My endeavor is to suggest some rudimentary language, albeit far from a written system of codification or discipline, but desc...

On the Development of Spart (sports art)-A Proposed Method

Research & Investigations in Sports Medicine, 2019

I would like to develop the dialectic between art and sport. My research thus far has indicated t... more I would like to develop the dialectic between art and sport. My research thus far has indicated that indeed an overlap exists on many levels in terms of their shared aesthetic dimension. While this can be developed further and is rather intuitive being derived from the humanistic sciences, I wish to tackle the art-sport link from a robust scientific perspective and methodology. My focus then is to determine a similar physiological and neurological wiring concerning both these disciplines. This may be due to the necessity that both are creative activities. The value of creativity can be defined as "…the introduction of something innovatively new and positive for society that goes beyond the familiar and accepted" (Zaidel, 2003). Furthermore, this can be seen to have been derived "…in humans…as an extension of the fundamental biological survival functions of cunning and deception" (Zaidel, 2003). Having said this and notwithstanding the fact that creativity is a topic of interest in recent years, it is at its early stages insofar as the understanding of the neural underpinning of creativity is concerned.

The Institutionalized Body Aesthetic or Ideology in Ancient Greek Sport

Study on Aesthetics, Art and Sport: A Perspective towards “Argument from Intertwining”

Selected Topics in Humanities and Social Sciences Vol. 1, 2021

Yves Klein and Judo as a Sport and an Art

Meditations with and without medication

As a sequel to "A Trip to the Palace", this imaginative construction or narrative follo... more As a sequel to "A Trip to the Palace", this imaginative construction or narrative follows the journey of man who seeks love, fueled by the believe that such love would mean the materialization of the Messianic Age here on earth. Whether deluded or true, the story is told in very real terms. Then follows another story, seemingly unrelated to the first. In fact, on a deeper reading there is a link. It is precisely Vladamir's idealism and Peter's search for the Crown that militates against violence and thence the ushering in of a better world.

Meditations and essays on the Kabbalah

This is an oddly constructed book, with its seeming illogic concealing a yet deeper content. Esse... more This is an oddly constructed book, with its seeming illogic concealing a yet deeper content. Essentially, there are essays, short pieces of writing and the like on the kabbalah, often even just single words or phrases so that the essays become meditations. Essentially, the reader will find a confluence of Judaic Kabbalah, mysticism, philosophy and art, In the process, hopefully this yields insight.

Vladamir, Art Theory and the Ark

This is rather an odd book. It is part fictional and part non-fictional. Our main character goes ... more This is rather an odd book. It is part fictional and part non-fictional. Our main character goes on a whirlwind adventure while reflecting on art, philosophy and aesthetics. Vladamir is our protagonist and when his friend Felix appears to him in a strange encounter, he cannot tell what is real and what is simply imagination or even his own madness. During the ordeal, Vladamir comes to grips with his purpose as an art theoretician and philosopher and some possibly profound ideas emerge.

On the Development of Spart - Sports Art:An Opinion

Judo as a Work of Art

In this brief article i make the argument that the first principles inherent in art, that is its ... more In this brief article i make the argument that the first principles inherent in art, that is its formal components such as line, colour, composition and so on can be viewed as mechanism enabling a deeper aesthetic appreciation of sport. In this particular case the sport looked at is judo. If this thesis is correct, it implies an interdisciplinary field of study traversing art and sport, the humanities and the sciences and over turns the old Cartesian dualism in favour of a more integrated embodied experience.

Aesthetics, Art and Sport: Towards the “Argument from Intertwining”

American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2019

The significant, Enlightenment philosophers in aesthetics, such as Schopenhauer and Hegel form th... more The significant, Enlightenment philosophers in aesthetics, such as Schopenhauer and Hegel form the bedrock of many of our ideas in aesthetics. After briefly unpacking their ideas in this regard, I argue for the inability of such philosophers to deal with non-mimetic art, such as abstract painting and in the process their views on aesthetics only apply to a limited domain of the visual arts. Insofar as this is the case I then put forward an alternative aesthetics that accommodates advances in the arts, namely a metaphoric conception of art. This conception of aesthetics also appears to argue for the pervasiveness of aesthetic experience, thus also undermining the said philosophers' hierarchical elevation of the arts from common experience. This invites an alternative aesthetics, where sport may be regarded as a kind art. In this regard, the role of metaphor, in both positive and negative ways devolving from the post-modern "language turn" leads to a holistic conception of experience, whether parcelled off as art or sport and this is argued for as the so-named "argument from intertwining".

Neither Atheist, not believer nor yet agnostic: Towards a fourth position

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Jun 18, 2023

This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It wa... more This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It was found that although they each appear to contain a kernel of truth, there are various deficiencies in each argument. It is then put forward an alternative to such positions and one that appears to embrace them all, while in itself not being anything of substance. Yet it is precisely in such insubstantiality that the debate itself is resolved or dissolves and anamorphous "form" follows, one that may save us from the often-devastating decisions to be any one of atheist, believer or agnostic and instead invites a more holistic perception and a less rigid way of being. One that is less attached to identity and "truth" and more akin to the flowing nature of water or the penetrating beauty of light. This I dub "the fourth position" (dimension), though the name is insignificant.

Neither Atheist, not believer nor yet agnostic: Towards a fourth position

GPH-INT. JOURNAL OF Social Science & Humanities Research, Vol. 06, Issue 06, June-2023,, 2023

This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It wa... more This brief article begins with outlining the beliefs of the atheist, believer and agnostic. It was found that although they each appear to contain a kernel of truth, there are various deficiencies in each argument. It is then put forward an alternative to such positions and one that appears to embrace them all, while in itself not being anything of substance. Yet it is precisely in such insubstantiality that the debate itself is resolved or dissolves and an amorphous "form" follows, one that may save us from the often-devastating decisions to be any one of atheist, believer or agnostic and instead invites a more holistic perception and a less rigid way of being. One that is less attached to identity and "truth" and more akin to the flowing nature of water or the penetrating beauty of light. This I dub "the fourth position" (dimension), though the name is insignificant.

The American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Research (THEAJHSSR, vol 6, issue 1 2022-3) , 2023

In this essay, I explore three key "moments" in art history and theory which allow me to construc... more In this essay, I explore three key "moments" in art history and theory which allow me to construct the argument that art is available to all and that participation in what it has to offer will of necessity develop individuals as well as collective societies. Art need not be defined in terms of traditional forms, nor is it especially rare and simply a gift or talent. Rather, it will be described as a natural disposition or state that we can all develop, the fruits of which are valuable and even suggest a utopian outcome.

Forging a New Paradigm: On the Structure of the Interdisciplinary and its Application (part 3)

Innovare Journal of Education

This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of w... more This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of what this New Paradigm is. In section two, I develop this paradigm and suggest a visualization of it, a structure as it were. This will assist in a more thorough understanding of such a paradigm. Theoretical speculations and modeling aside or rather avoiding a “purely” philosophical bias, I then apply this model to an example culled from art and aesthetics, yet involving, in line with this New Paradigm, other disciplines such as science and sport in order to exemplify or perhaps prove my argument, by virtue of the “mixture” or inter-disciplinary framework as applied to several different variables. This section forms the bulk of the article as such an application concretizes the theoretical framework in specific ways so that the reader will ascertain the usefulness of such a venture, which in turn ought to spur and spawn future research.

Forging a New Paradigm: On the Structure of the Interdisciplinary and Its Application (Part 4)

Social science, humanities and sustainability research, Mar 10, 2022

This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of w... more This article has three sections. In section one, I define my terms which leads to an outline of what this New Paradigm is. In section two, I develop this paradigm and suggest a visualization of it, a structure as it were. This will assist in a more thorough understanding of such a paradigm. Theoretical speculations and modelling aside or rather avoiding a "purely" philosophical bias, I then apply this model to an example culled from art and aesthetics, yet involving, in line with this New Paradigm, other disciplines such as science and sport in order to exemplify or perhaps prove my argument, by virtue of the "mixture" or inter-disciplinary framework as applied to several different variables. This section forms the bulk of the article as such an application concretizes the theoretical framework in specific ways so that the reader will ascertain the usefulness of such a venture, which in turn ought to spur and spawn future research.

The Meaning of Art: A Compilation of Essays

The Visual Sense and the Power of Art

Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Aug 28, 2021

Is Art as Valuable to Society as Science?

Saudi Journal of Engineering and Technology, 2022

In this article, I argue in favor of the idea that art is as valuable, perhaps even more so than ... more In this article, I argue in favor of the idea that art is as valuable, perhaps even more so than science in a given society. I base this on the principles that art is well appointed to teach morality; as an educational tool; to foster empathy; enabling abstract thought through form and play and governed by aesthetic principles, the precondition for knowledge as it were. I believe this is a timely and necessary argument to be made in an increasingly technocratic and materialistic society where philosophical speculation and art as “deep” are often overlooked. I also believe there is a dialectic between art and science in the first place so that it is not a matter of pitting such disciplines against each other as it were.

POST Modern Art in Relation to Sport

Insight - Sports Science, Dec 21, 2018

In this article, I develop the implications of the Post Modern "language turn" first for art and ... more In this article, I develop the implications of the Post Modern "language turn" first for art and then applied to sport. The combined idea of ineffability and meaninglessness seems to pervade art and post-modern sports. There is a sense of heightened body culture in contemporary sports that draws from a philosophical and art-aesthetic heritage. I then end with a model that suggests the dialectic between art and sport that i believe could be a sub section or parralell the better known relationship, namely that between sport and science or sports science.

The interdisciplinary nexus between art and science and the play of the aesthetic

World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2022

It is usually assumed that each discipline ranging from the humanities to the sciences forms a ne... more It is usually assumed that each discipline ranging from the humanities to the sciences forms a neat, separate and irreducible mode of analysis and area of expertise. The great body of knowledge accumulated over time, is a testimony to the many advances in each field. Often new fields and sub fields are established, but in the main there appears to be a separation between the humanities and the sciences; two cultures as it has often been described. While this is a useful partition, it may be but a fiction. For whether one is talking about either such disciplines, it remains human knowledge all the same and therefore subject to the same perceptual apparatus and history, albeit science claims neutrality and objectivity, while the humanities and the arts, the subjective and more imaginative domain. Nevertheless, such distinctions may be spurious and shortsighted. My endeavor is to suggest some rudimentary language, albeit far from a written system of codification or discipline, but desc...

On the Development of Spart (sports art)-A Proposed Method

Research & Investigations in Sports Medicine, 2019

I would like to develop the dialectic between art and sport. My research thus far has indicated t... more I would like to develop the dialectic between art and sport. My research thus far has indicated that indeed an overlap exists on many levels in terms of their shared aesthetic dimension. While this can be developed further and is rather intuitive being derived from the humanistic sciences, I wish to tackle the art-sport link from a robust scientific perspective and methodology. My focus then is to determine a similar physiological and neurological wiring concerning both these disciplines. This may be due to the necessity that both are creative activities. The value of creativity can be defined as "…the introduction of something innovatively new and positive for society that goes beyond the familiar and accepted" (Zaidel, 2003). Furthermore, this can be seen to have been derived "…in humans…as an extension of the fundamental biological survival functions of cunning and deception" (Zaidel, 2003). Having said this and notwithstanding the fact that creativity is a topic of interest in recent years, it is at its early stages insofar as the understanding of the neural underpinning of creativity is concerned.

The Institutionalized Body Aesthetic or Ideology in Ancient Greek Sport

Study on Aesthetics, Art and Sport: A Perspective towards “Argument from Intertwining”

Selected Topics in Humanities and Social Sciences Vol. 1, 2021

Yves Klein and Judo as a Sport and an Art

Meditations with and without medication

As a sequel to "A Trip to the Palace", this imaginative construction or narrative follo... more As a sequel to "A Trip to the Palace", this imaginative construction or narrative follows the journey of man who seeks love, fueled by the believe that such love would mean the materialization of the Messianic Age here on earth. Whether deluded or true, the story is told in very real terms. Then follows another story, seemingly unrelated to the first. In fact, on a deeper reading there is a link. It is precisely Vladamir's idealism and Peter's search for the Crown that militates against violence and thence the ushering in of a better world.

Meditations and essays on the Kabbalah

This is an oddly constructed book, with its seeming illogic concealing a yet deeper content. Esse... more This is an oddly constructed book, with its seeming illogic concealing a yet deeper content. Essentially, there are essays, short pieces of writing and the like on the kabbalah, often even just single words or phrases so that the essays become meditations. Essentially, the reader will find a confluence of Judaic Kabbalah, mysticism, philosophy and art, In the process, hopefully this yields insight.

Vladamir, Art Theory and the Ark

This is rather an odd book. It is part fictional and part non-fictional. Our main character goes ... more This is rather an odd book. It is part fictional and part non-fictional. Our main character goes on a whirlwind adventure while reflecting on art, philosophy and aesthetics. Vladamir is our protagonist and when his friend Felix appears to him in a strange encounter, he cannot tell what is real and what is simply imagination or even his own madness. During the ordeal, Vladamir comes to grips with his purpose as an art theoretician and philosopher and some possibly profound ideas emerge.

On the Development of Spart - Sports Art:An Opinion

Judo as a Work of Art

In this brief article i make the argument that the first principles inherent in art, that is its ... more In this brief article i make the argument that the first principles inherent in art, that is its formal components such as line, colour, composition and so on can be viewed as mechanism enabling a deeper aesthetic appreciation of sport. In this particular case the sport looked at is judo. If this thesis is correct, it implies an interdisciplinary field of study traversing art and sport, the humanities and the sciences and over turns the old Cartesian dualism in favour of a more integrated embodied experience.

Aesthetics, Art and Sport: Towards the “Argument from Intertwining”

American Research Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2019

The significant, Enlightenment philosophers in aesthetics, such as Schopenhauer and Hegel form th... more The significant, Enlightenment philosophers in aesthetics, such as Schopenhauer and Hegel form the bedrock of many of our ideas in aesthetics. After briefly unpacking their ideas in this regard, I argue for the inability of such philosophers to deal with non-mimetic art, such as abstract painting and in the process their views on aesthetics only apply to a limited domain of the visual arts. Insofar as this is the case I then put forward an alternative aesthetics that accommodates advances in the arts, namely a metaphoric conception of art. This conception of aesthetics also appears to argue for the pervasiveness of aesthetic experience, thus also undermining the said philosophers' hierarchical elevation of the arts from common experience. This invites an alternative aesthetics, where sport may be regarded as a kind art. In this regard, the role of metaphor, in both positive and negative ways devolving from the post-modern "language turn" leads to a holistic conception of experience, whether parcelled off as art or sport and this is argued for as the so-named "argument from intertwining".

CLASSICAL ABSTRACTION VERSUS ROMANTIC ABSTRACTION: Towards a shift in Consciousness

In this brief essay, I outline the two fundamental strands of art: The Classical and the Romantic... more In this brief essay, I outline the two fundamental strands of art: The Classical and the Romantic. I illustrate these notions with key examples culled from the history of art. I argue that an extreme of either side propels art forward, but this is opposed to the larger stream of life in which balance and a middle road is called for. I then argue that through consciousness of art (…or science…etc.) and of the aesthetic, a second-order reflective stance is possible which, together with a moral sensibility, evolves a consciousness that may improve the quality of life for individuals and collectively.

A brief analysis of philosophy, art and science towards discerning a mystical basis of reality an... more

THE DIALECTICAL OSCILATION BETWEEN AESTHETIC AND EXTRA-AESTHETIC MODALITIES: Reading art as two states

A novel look at art theory and practice as an instance of the creative dynamic between abstract m... more

THE POTENCY OF ART: Definitions and Speculations

ART AND THE PLAY OF THE AESTHETIC AND EXTRA-AESTHETIC: Beyond Dualism

This article deals with the play of the aesthetic and extra-aesthetic through a discussion of the... more This article deals with the play of the aesthetic and extra-aesthetic through a discussion of the power of visual experience both as a physiological and philosophical "experience". Drawing from theories of empathy and what i term "a new paradigm" that subverts the notion of high art, the paper suggests that visual experience circumvents dualistic thinking towards a more integrated view of art itself.

THE INCREDULOUS WHY

In this essay, i look at basic aspects of life as beyond comprehension. I offer a sense of awe an... more

THE MEANING OF ART: A NEW PERSPECTIVE A New Paradigm

The glory of art lies in struggle. The beauty of art lies in the competitive spirit of making and... more The glory of art lies in struggle. The beauty of art lies in the competitive spirit of making and contemplating the meaning of art. This visceral quality if I may say so is that the very expression that makes art conceivable and possible is in its sense of movement. One can liken such movement to that realm of aesthetic experience that we call sport. In other words, in most cases sport requires active physical movements of the body in relation to various tools and obstacles. Yet, if we analyse art, one might find the same thing. I would go so far as to say that the work of art is a sporting image or object, a muscular sport if you will. As a corollary, the sports act and event may be considered, nay experienced as a kind of artwork. But what of the meaning in art? What use is struggle…why should struggle be noble? For that implies pain is the highest good. The torment of the mind. Its trickery and thuggery, its axioms that lead to war, strife and struggle. Struggle is noble you say? But so is tranquillity and peace. Art is possibly a nexus of these conflicting and contrasting intellectual and emotional modalities. Is art the ultimate control of mind? Think how art has its roots in prehistoric magic hunts, pagan idol worship, religious art of the West and East which persisted for hundreds of years, then the Renaissance and the rise of secularism, followed by a plethora of modern art movements and then the great complexity of the current age and you have a clear expression in all its multifarious forms of the dual that exists between the modalities of light and dark, peace and war. In this art is most powerful as the expression of an age or an epoch. What makes it even more profound and excellent is this usually emanates from a single individual, so that the personal and subjective can also have collective and objective outcomes. In respect of the above, one could say that the meaning of art lies in its fundamental connection to these metaphysical and philosophical concerns, but at the same time, it requires some or other sensual component and to that end are purely aesthetic. This connection could be explained philosophically as the Hegelian idea that art is the sensuous embodiment of idea. Or less philosophically that there is a dialectic between form and content. The question is, is there a one to one logical correspondence between stuff and meanings, that is between form and content? A deeper question yet: Is there an origin from whence these apparent dualities emanate, a transcendent point. This triad is significant, but like the Tree of Life, each aspect and node is nullified and naught as there is just the Infinite (Ein Sof). In relation to art, though secularism is the new order, underlying it is the age-old relationship between religion and art. In fact, one might go so far as to maintain that the very impetus of idolatry whether in pagan, official Roman Christdom (inclusive of Islam and the religions of the East), the secular elevation of the human mind and body as intrinsically the ultimate end and such aesthetics as corresponding to a latent (and sometimes blatant) ideological set of beliefs, ideals, metaphysics, politics and so on. Another way of putting the above is to borrow the quantum idea of complementary and apply that to the arts. That is, one might envisage an inverse graph where one axis is the aesthetic

WRITING is the combination of image and word.docx

WRITING is the combination of image and word

Journal Postmodern sport.doc

If one takes as a starting point the post structural shift marked by the " language turn " that m... more If one takes as a starting point the post structural shift marked by the " language turn " that meaning is decentered, deferred, mere traces rather than locate the meaning of the word (or image for that matter) as corresponding with a particular referent or interpretation, then culture begins to reflect that in terms of plurality of discourses and narratives, detotalising, inclusivity and at the same time a relativism, and a lack of core identity. The " language turn " has implications as far as art (theory and practice) is concerned within postmodern culture, namely the duality of, on the one hand, detotalising creative play and ineffability, and/or, on the other hand, a potential sense of meaninglessness. Sport, as one instance of postmodern culture, likewise can be viewed via the lens of the " language turn " , especially as it, like art, is not necessarily an " authentic " expression, a natural and innocent game (an original point), but is embedded in a culture where commodification, consumerism and idealistic image-construction is the order of the day. Nevertheless, sport may offer much in the way of articulating bonds between people over-and-above native tongue. Consequently, as with art, one may discern the place of sport in postmodern culture as engendering the dual aspects of 1) ineffability and/or 2) meaninglessness. I shall explicate these concerns below using specific sports to make things clearer and take as an axiom that art whose handmaiden is often philosophy also exhibits these features or more precisely because it does it is no surprise that other cultural do so likewise.

ON THE BENEFITS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS

Karate is more violent than judo. Karate is direct, focused on one point and fatal. Judo is diffu... more Karate is more violent than judo. Karate is direct, focused on one point and fatal. Judo is diffused, centred and low impact. So, which is better, if indeed one can ask that. Better for what would be the intelligent response. In a karate match, aggression needs to be channelled and skilfully focused. Does that prepare one for an encounter of life and death with a would-be attacker? Does that have any beneficial psychological strength as one encounters life and various situations? And what of judo? In a judo match it's not only soft, skill and feeling, but aggression, fight, will and even violence? Does judo prepare one for a real-life encounter, Heaven forbid? Does it strengthen ones resolve to uplift consciousness, to lift the veil of psychological constriction? I would argue that whether judo and/or karate are both soft and hard, useful in life both within and without is not in itself a fact of doing them, only in relation to the one who does the sport/art can it serves such ends. Therefore the " observing consciousness " does indeed effect the observed and thence the one who so channels that. If that is indeed the case, then one can say that sports such as the martial arts of judo and karate offer wonderful methods in uplifting consciousness. How so? Through these arts/ sports one comes to know one's own body centre and how to orientate that in relation to another person. This could develop empathy and compassion, as well as an intuitive positive reaction to even unsettling situations. It teaches one to react and yet not react. In other words, to enter a mode of behaviour that is instinctively and intelligently orientated to both self-preservation and consciousness beyond the self. Is this not a contradiction? Either its ego or higher or altered consciousness? Consciousness operates in the here and now of time, space and matter as well as the realms of feelings and ideas. Therefore, the empirical, sensuous reality of what is presented – the ego dimension of aggressor and defender – is the first order experience. This is then negotiated by skill, will, intuition and creativity by an " in the zone " conscious response. Yet is not such a valuation only in the case of competition and precisely when one wins, and is an athlete at the pinnacle of that art/sport? Only such an athlete can aspire to greater enlightenment through these disciplines? This I believe is not the case. Some such athletes never pierce the inner dimension – at least not consciously. The acquisition of attuned ego and higher consciousness through these endeavours can be experienced by anyone at any level at these as other games. How then can this be accomplished? By understanding the essence of such games. Judo, the gentle way, is the maximin efficient use of energy with minimum effort. Its guiding principles are the mutual benefit and welfare of all peoples. And yet I cannot find a corresponding set of ideals in karate. Therefore, I opened the piece with the idea that karate is more violent than judo and that may be so. However, if it were so, then judo would have created for itself an adversary (i.e. karate) and that motivates war, and violence. For war becomes possible when one " side " identifies an enemy, an alien, a terrorist, vilifying him and rallying to conquer him in the name of peace and freedom.

Thoughts on abstract art

ABSTRACT art is both a misleading word and accurate. It is misleading in the sense that it implie... more ABSTRACT art is both a misleading word and accurate. It is misleading in the sense that it implies that it is not a picture of anything, that it is a deviation from any kind of realism. It is an accurate designation insofar as such art is concerned with the conceptual over and above the perceptual (though access to the conceptual is via the perceptual). It is furthermore important to note that there are various kinds and degrees of the abstract, just as there are variations in figurative and 'realistic " works of art whether considered traditional or modern. Some abstract art can be considered to be what I term " thought-constructs ". They are a kind of mathematical logic read not from left to right and down but as part of a painting can be viewed as gestalt, holistic imagery so that the logic is " wilder " (an " other " logic I dub it`) or less uni-dimensional. Such works of art use line to suggest not only a feeling and sensation but could be viewed as an " equals " sign; while numbers, circles, points, triangles and squares add to the description of an intellectual process. But we cannot get to the thought for these imagery are merely signs and devices and pictures, not the substance itself. And herein lies the insurmountable duality, namely the fact that on the one hand there is a concept and yet on the other hand, the " object " is a painting where the visual language (style, technique through texture, colour, line and so on and so forth) is a language unto itself and it is unclear how the two combine to form a coherent message. I believe the quandary was made explicit by Mel Bochner's " blah, blah, blah… " painting in that the introduction of the word is nullified through the abundance of paint, surface, colour, drippings, markings and so on. Then there is the difficulty where somebody (presumably someone that calls themselves an artist) takes on abstract art as if it were some kind of style or technique. In this case, it is not clear whether it is abstract art or just a playing with materials. Newman claimed there was no good art about nothing and to this I agree and therefore caution those who see nothing in abstract art but the production of a pretty picture whether conceived in aesthetic terms or simply as retinal art as Duchamp might put it. Abstract art is distinct from the literal attack of Plato on mimesis and his recoil into a (Platonic) ideal. Rather one might consider abstract art more like Wittgenstein's' notion

A NEW PARADIGM RELATING ART AND SPORT.doc

A philosophical investigations concerning the overlap of art and sport toward a new and pioneerin... more

A NEW PARADIGM RELATING ART AND SPORT

I outline the trend to reconstruct sport as an instance of art-aesthetic expression. I do this by... more I outline the trend to reconstruct sport as an instance of art-aesthetic expression. I do this by bringing the readers attention historically and conceptually to the task of relating art and sport. In this regard, I highlight the " weak " version of the aesthetics of the everyday (so named AEL) which tend to see somewhat of a continuity between art and sport. I then develop three basic underpinnings that suggest what I would call a paradigm shift, namely Einfuhlung (empathy), play and aesthesis. The upshot is that art and sport mediate reality in such a way that although one cannot ultimately know reality, they both offer similar philosophical framings, that is, they enhance a world consciousness of connectivity, sport functioning in such a way that it need not be rigidly distinguished from art. I suggest an observation which devolves from this theoretical framework, namely the " will to form " .

ON THE BENEFITS OF THE MARTIAL ARTS

Karate is more violent than judo. Karate is direct, focused on one point and fatal. Judo is diffu... more Karate is more violent than judo. Karate is direct, focused on one point and fatal. Judo is diffused, centred and low impact. So, which is better, if indeed one can ask that. Better for what would be the intelligent response. In a karate match, aggression needs to be channelled and skilfully focused. Does that prepare one for an encounter of life and death with a would-be attacker? Does that have any beneficial psychological strength as one encounters life and various situations? And what of judo? In a judo match it's not only soft, skill and feeling, but aggression, fight, will and even violence? Does judo prepare one for a real-life encounter, Heaven forbid? Does it strengthen ones resolve to uplift consciousness, to lift the veil of psychological constriction? I would argue that whether judo and/or karate are both soft and hard, useful in life both within and without is not in itself a fact of doing them, only in relation to the one who does the sport/art can it serves such ends. Therefore the " observing consciousness " does indeed effect the observed and thence the one who so channels that. If that is indeed the case, then one can say that sports such as the martial arts of judo and karate offer wonderful methods in uplifting consciousness. How so? Through these arts/ sports one comes to know one's own body centre and how to orientate that in relation to another person. This could develop empathy and compassion, as well as an intuitive positive reaction to even unsettling situations. It teaches one to react and yet not react. In other words, to enter a mode of behaviour that is instinctively and intelligently orientated to both self-preservation and consciousness beyond the self. Is this not a contradiction? Either its ego or higher or altered consciousness? Consciousness operates in the here and now of time, space and matter as well as the realms of feelings and ideas. Therefore, the empirical, sensuous reality of what is presented – the ego dimension of aggressor and defender – is the first order experience. This is then negotiated by skill, will, intuition and creativity by an " in the zone " conscious response. Yet is not such a valuation only in the case of competition and precisely when one wins, and is an athlete at the pinnacle of that art/sport? Only such an athlete can aspire to greater enlightenment through these disciplines? This I believe is not the case. Some such athletes never pierce the inner dimension – at least not consciously. The acquisition of attuned ego and higher consciousness through these endeavours can be experienced by anyone at any level at these as other games. How then can this be accomplished? By understanding the essence of such games. Judo, the gentle way, is the maximin efficient use of energy with minimum effort. Its guiding principles are the mutual benefit and welfare of all peoples. And yet I cannot find a corresponding set of ideals in karate. Therefore, I opened the piece with the idea that karate is more violent than judo and that may be so. However, if it were so, then judo would have created for itself an adversary (i.e. karate) and that motivates war, and violence. For war becomes possible when one " side " identifies an enemy, an alien, a terrorist, vilifying him and rallying to conquer him in the name of peace and freedom.

Nazism and sport: the dangers of art-like aesthetics

Sport is a bodily art to a certain extent. The Volk was identified with the deep well-springs of ... more Sport is a bodily art to a certain extent. The Volk was identified with the deep well-springs of nature, a Romantic spirit, so that the body was conceived as the muscular strength of the Volk that linked the nation to its beginnings in antiquity toward the collective organic body, the unified Reich of modern times. In this sense, sport embodied principles of German solidarity, discipline and racial purity. This article consists of two parts. In the first instance, I describe how the Nazi regime manipulated sport to serve their political ends and the second part of the article focuses on Rievenstahl's Olympia, a specific example that highlights how these political ends may have been achieved and thus the significance of sport as a means to realize those ends. The methods employed to achieve those ends can be described as -or derived from -art aesthetic impulses.

journal ancient greece and sport and art.doc

In this paper, i argue that various aesthetic devices associated with Ancient Greek sport determi... more In this paper, i argue that various aesthetic devices associated with Ancient Greek sport determined a certain view of the body. This institutionalised body as it were communicated a Greek conception opf life - one imbued with beauty of the human form, the greatness of the gods and the desire for victory within the sports arena. This then forms a basis on which to reconceptualise modern sport, its relationship to the aesthetic dimension of art and the impact of institutions on conceptions of the body (mind).

THE SUBTEXT OF ART AND SPORT

An exploration into the overlaps of art and sport - a inter and trans disciplinary study gesturin... more

journal expressive theories.doc

IN WHICH I DEVELOP THE THESIS THAT ART AND SPORT OVERLAP IN TERMS OF THEIR EXPRESSIVE IMPULSE - T... more

ART and SPORT: The argument from " intertwining "

i argue that rather than consider art and sport as equated, one could argue that they share basic... more i argue that rather than consider art and sport as equated, one could argue that they share basic aesthetic concepts or languages, both in actual play or viewing thereof. In this respect, there is a continuum of experience without the necessity to categorize, label, prioritize and hierarchical elevate one cultural expression over another.