The Essential Tension, by Thomas S. Kuhn

I had a difficult time following Kuhn's dense phrasing. Which is
regretful as I think he has simple, very important notions to impart.
Education is indeed convergent. At ITP we teach with Processing, for
example, despite there being many alternatives including MAX/MSP (about
which Luke Dubois teaches), openframeworks (no class) and so on. So
often in convergent thinking we forget about the alternate approaches.

I agree and appreciate how Kuhn points out that good, sometimes
innovative science comes from solid practice of what is known and
comfortable. Eventually circles will be found that don't fit into the
squares of science and methods changed. Personally, I think it is
essential to know any material or procedure you're using well. Once you
have the basics down, you're ready to explore the undiscovered. I don't
think ITP has a problem nurturing divergent modes of thinking once they
occur, unlike other academic institutions.

The Reading About Art I Forget the Name Of...

I loved this article. What a delightful play on words, exploring what
art, craft, design and industrial design are. While I think casting art
as religion is extreme, it does well to get the point across. Perhaps a
little more love for the objects we use everyday life will lead to less
consumerism; buy what you love, use it like you love it. I think
building objects with this perspective, and not forgetting a narrative,
is ideal.

-- Tue, 11 Dec 2007 00:46 -0500

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