Post by Progenitor A on Apr 12, 2018 16:00:23 GMT 1
Anyone watching this somewhat patchy, somewhat astonishing series?
I say astonishing, for its SOLE focus is upon the visual arts
I suppose that this is OK in its way - but then it should surely have been sub-titled CIVILISATIONS - THE VISUAL ARTS?
For many less erudite people than you or me might assume that Civilisation is all about,or solely about, pictures, statues and other images
It can be argued that the visual arts are a side-product of Civilisation and indeed it is arguably possible to have a very advanced, very sophisticated civilisation that totally excludes the visual arts - one can imagine an advanced society of totally blind people, for example
On the other hand it takes only a little reflection to realise that there are certain human activities whose absence negates even the possiility of a Civilisation
Consider these; the developent of language, of literature, of mathematics, of science (includig medical science}, of technology, of philosophy (including political philosophy) (I have excluded music, not because it is unimportabt - it is VERY important, but one can imagine a sociey of deaf people that have developed all the other activites except music)
I would suggest that a Civiisation cannot exist without a healthy dollop of these activites, that the visual arts, although they might be imporant to a Civilisation, are in fact peripheral to Civilisation
I am astonished that such eminent people as the presenters do not seem to realise this
I say astonishing, for its SOLE focus is upon the visual arts
I suppose that this is OK in its way - but then it should surely have been sub-titled CIVILISATIONS - THE VISUAL ARTS?
For many less erudite people than you or me might assume that Civilisation is all about,or solely about, pictures, statues and other images
It can be argued that the visual arts are a side-product of Civilisation and indeed it is arguably possible to have a very advanced, very sophisticated civilisation that totally excludes the visual arts - one can imagine an advanced society of totally blind people, for example
On the other hand it takes only a little reflection to realise that there are certain human activities whose absence negates even the possiility of a Civilisation
Consider these; the developent of language, of literature, of mathematics, of science (includig medical science}, of technology, of philosophy (including political philosophy) (I have excluded music, not because it is unimportabt - it is VERY important, but one can imagine a sociey of deaf people that have developed all the other activites except music)
I would suggest that a Civiisation cannot exist without a healthy dollop of these activites, that the visual arts, although they might be imporant to a Civilisation, are in fact peripheral to Civilisation
I am astonished that such eminent people as the presenters do not seem to realise this