The Examinde Life, Age 8

[stilltrucking]

In the 1970s, Matthew Lipman, then a professor at Columbia University, argued that children could think abstractly at an early age and that philosophical questioning could help them develop reasoning skills. It was the Vietnam era, and Professor Lipman believed that many Americans were too accepting of authoritative answers and slow to reason for themselves — by college, he feared, it would be too late.

Professor Lipman’s view opposed that of the child-development theorist Jean Piaget, who asserted that children under 12 were not capable of abstract reasoning. He and others, including Gareth Matthews, a professor emeritus of philosophy at the University of Massachusetts, concluded that their curiosity and sense of wonder make children ripe for philosophic inquiry.




http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/educa ... -t.html?hp

[SadLuckDame]

What a great article.

Thanks Jack.

[stilltrucking]

I thought it was interesting too. Especially the bit about Piaget and abstract thought.

Something happened to me about twelve or thirteen, some new awareness. The thought struck me that this is it. Some insight into the world as it was going to be for me. I can hardly explain it. Nothing sexual, but a different consciousness. Shit words fail me.
Years later I read about Piaget and his theories and I just figured it was according to Piaget's schema for the mental development of children. That at 13 I had achieved neural maturity that I was thinking on a scale of abstraction not available before that point in time. I remember the thought I had that day. It was, "This is It." some sudden insight into the way of the world. This is how it is. Weird it seemed so profound at the time and so trite now.

I read an article about a tragic film. A documentary a mother made about the death of her daughter from bulimia. The "change" in her daughter started around 13. My first thought was body image and pubescence but then I wondered if it was more than that. Despair?

[stilltrucking]

I thought you might like this one too.

The Moral Life of Babies

[SadLuckDame]

This is interesting, Jack. I knew young children have the ability to think of deeper emotions, morals, intelligence, etc. then we give them credit for, but I'd no idea or at least not given much thought to how much ability babies came packed with. Gonna read through this article, I appreciate it.


....

On a side note I recall an early memory of mine own. I was three and in a holy roller church. All of the adults raised their hands in worship. I rose my hands to mimic them. Two ladies behind me giggled and laughed at my mimic behind their hands, whispering. I was so embarrassed and never ever could I raise my hands in worship again.

At three, we may have a warped sense of what we absorb, but we are building already and it's sturdy enough to last till adult hood. Even though I now understand they laughed because they thought it 'adorable' I can comprehend it now, I still cannot get over that effect built then, it's too lasting and already worked into my system of being watchful of other people's reactions, etc.

[stilltrucking]

I been reading some in a book called The Art Instinct

It reminded me of a discussion I had with mingo about his Blue Bottle Installation

Be back with some links and quotes later.

In the mean time
RE: the bit about the moral life of babies and the "blank slate"

this is interesting and relevant I think

The Blank Slate

[SadLuckDame]

I've started reading it, into it--the Art Instinct.
Interesting so far, found out it's universal about what people want to see and maybe we were trying to see something internal. Looks good to me.

Gots to keep reading, be by later.

A child with autism; a silent one, silent girl...
now plays ring-around-the-rosie, while smiling to childlike faces,
is saying small sentences, "I am mad!"

Can children recover from the grasp of their silent traps.
Possibly, and there's what I know about it.

[stilltrucking]

Sure thing Jack, fine by me and let me know how it turns out. The photo is the only record of that installation because everything I did down to the lake two weeks ago is gone. Swept clean. I may be some kind of masochist on this but I find that so strangely satisfying. And I get to start again, new explorations and a new chance at undiscovered play. Thanks for asking Jack and I'm honored.

this is the post by mingo I was refering to above. His satisfaction in making art. from page 8 of his gallery here

I said at the time I thought our need for art must be instinctual that is before I heard about that book. He based a lot of it on that guy Pinker's thoughts who wrote Blank Slate

This is from a review of The Art Instinct

THE ART INSTINCT

Beauty, Pleasure, and Human Evolution

By Denis Dutton


Dutton is an elegant writer, and his book should be admired for its attempt to close the gap between art and science. It really is time that art critics learn about the visual cortex, musicologists study the inner ear and evolutionary psychologists unpack Jane Austen. Unfortunately, like so many other aesthetic theories, Dutton's ideas are ultimately undone by what they can't explain. This is the irony of evolutionary aesthetics: Although it sets out to solve the mystery of art, to explain why people write poems and smear paint on canvases, it ends up affirming the mystery. The most exquisite stuff is what we can't explain. That's why we call it art. ·

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02865.html

[SadLuckDame]

Hi Jack,

just a simple game like ring-round-rosie and all's well within.
If many go round and round, those outside go blur, blur with only confusing sound. But, those going the round, too, go smiling merrily.

There's something in it.

I don't stop them from the game, I either join it or go blurry, my choices and I'm glad there are so many choices.

If I could choose, I'd choose to go to the blue, and all the blue installations. And I do, I do go. All in my head and my head feels fine, thanks to you artistic types.

Mingo's last one reminded me of my ripple dream.

[stilltrucking]

This is an interesting board I think this is my most favorite post to this board

http://www.studioeight.tv/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3584

[SadLuckDame]

Got my bike out, was gonna hop on it. I haven't been riding in ten years (this one I bought two years ago, and there it sat), but it'll get me further, and quicker than when I go walking.
To embrace what was childish thrills and see what it has to offer now. I might still like it, just in a new way.

[stilltrucking]

A good day for a bike ride


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[SadLuckDame]

I just took it for a short spin, I can still do that thing.
Gonna go on an adventure. Maybees I'll find something nice to take a picture of. Thanks Jack.

If you are the catfish, and with what you've added since trucking...
anyways, tyvm. I'd say more except you'd prolly get angry again.

[stilltrucking]

maybe it is anger
if that is what it seems to you
for myself I see it as being defensive.
I will have to check that out. definition of defensive, is that Freudian shit?

Mean times
in real time I listen to the music and still not out the door yet

"Gonna forget about myself for a while, gonna go out and see what others need"

[SadLuckDame]

I'm not out the door yet either. I wanted my daughter to go with me, ya know to adventure with her, but her stupid tire is being a pita. It came out of the rim on one section, and I'm trying to figure it out.

Also, got out a bucket of soap water and washed mine off, so it'll look very pretty. I might take a picture of my bike's shadow for you.

I know defensive, I get that way once in awhile, too.
Whatever it is, we might be friends enough, and I depend on it, that I won't always have to say everything anyway. Makes sense.