Blog #2!

1.  Each video assigned this week contained a lot of information.  I listened, watched and learned a lot.  If I had to pick key concepts that I took away from each video they would be as follows...
In  Aesthetics: Philosophy of the Arts I learned about the "discovery" of aesthetics by philosophers like Plato that lived as long ago as the 4th century B.C., and also about modern thoughts and theories about aesthetics.  Because of the multitude of theories and the many differences between them I took from this video that "art" is not easy to define.  I think that "art" can be different to every person, because no matter how systematic the study no single, concise, and definite answer has yet been found
In CARTA: Neurobiology Neurology and Art and Aesthetics I took from this video that there are some scientific explanations behind art and beauty and how each person sees and responds to it.  Paired with the first video and what I learned from that, though, I think that even though there are scientific explanations and linkages between neurology and human responses to art that it is still hard to define and there is still not one concise answer or single set of rules surrounding the matter because every single person's brain works in different ways, with different connections leading to different results.

2.  As mentioned in my discussion post to chapter two I was most influenced by Kant's theory.  Kant was a philosopher in England during the 18th century.  I liked that Kant recognized the feelings people experience and take from art cannot be controlled by rules, but the lack of guidelines around aesthetics did not mean people could not share feelings or aesthetic reactions.

3.  The video with Changeux and Ramachandran was very informative, but also very difficult to understand.  Changeux's view about the subconscious having influence over conscious activity seemed very interesting to me and something I would definitely like to learn more about.  Ramachandran's view hit home a little more with me because as he shared in his theories that art can stand as an escape from reality that is what are has always been to me whether it is through creating my own or looking at someone else's.

4.  Both the videos and the reading in the text explored the philosophy of aesthetics, beauty and art.  The videos just elaborated further on what the book introduced by providing multiple theories and examples.

5.  As I said in my previous answer, the videos gave many more examples and theories and examples to think about and explore.  I liked having the videos to add to the readings because on its own I found some of the text confusing, or even if I understood it it was hard to relate to.  Some parts of the videos were also confusing, but using both tools together I was able to find my own perspective.