Here is the second one. Both of these ought to give us plenty to speak about in class.
Anyway,
De Botton really draws out the conversation over art in architecture. We understand that many of the buildings that we see today are build with primary focus on functionality over aesthetics. However the visual effect may be pleasing the priorities have simply changed.
If there is a form of beauty in structure what is it? Are we focused more on the materials used on the exterior or the shape? Is it the colors or the size? What are some of the best ways that we can justify the visual affect over the use or functionality in which a building presents itself?
Interesting read, to say the least. I think that, truly, architecture in itself offers beauty and amazement to the human mind. I believe that it's not anything "specific" that makes skilled architecture beautiful, but rather the skill alone. Whenever we see a skillfully made archway, or a bridge, we automatically KNOW that this respective object has been built to the best standard possible. Sometimes structure alone IS beauty. Does this make sense? I don't think necessarily that visual stimulation outweighs the functionality of a building.
ReplyDeleteMost christians believe that their treasure is in Heaven, but by De Botton being an atheist maybe he wanted his now? I like how he points out that religious practices don't have the whole person. I have personally seen this. Your body is at church, your mind is on the game, and your heart may have gotten lost on the way, but you are still saying Amen without knowing why. Most religious practices in the Christian belief system are a joke. I'm no atheist though. I believe in a personal relationship with our Creator.
ReplyDeleteFQ: What does De Botton's place his value in? Architecture.
ReplyDeleteDQ: What is De Botton's Atheist 2.0 book about?
My group hasn't posted yet, so I'm going to go ahead and post a few questions here. I'm in section 13--group 4. Tuesday we were supposed to discuss Peter Singer and animals. I found this reading to be interesting because I'm an animal lover myself, and I also eat meat. It really makes me think.
ReplyDeleteFQ: What did Singer say distinguished a human from a person?
DQ: What is a good pro-meat argument?
Tomorrow we will be discussing Don Cupitt and non-realism about God. His argument is a bit contradicting to me.
FQ: How does Cupitt describe God?
DQ: Is Cupitt a legitimate Christian priest if he only believes in the idea of God and not the objective God?
fq:what's the name of de botton's book? the architecture of happiness
ReplyDeletedq:what is beauty and how important is it?
This was interesting to me because it was so much different than the things we usually discuss.
ReplyDeleteFQ: What building does de Botton find to be "beautiful"?
DQ: What is your definition of beauty? Related to this topic, or just in general.
Alain deBotton
ReplyDeleteFactual Question: Which philosopher, of those we have read about, discusses the Beauty of Architecture?
Discussion Question: Can such things as art change a persons' moral beliefs or moral compass?
This is what I was talking about in class, the nice concise way of saying what Chase and some of us were trying to get across. This is from Billy Graham by the way
ReplyDelete"Almost the last chapter in the Bible describes what heaven will be like, and one of the things it tells us is that "the great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass" (Revelation 21:21).
Although this is hard for us to imagine, it reminds us that heaven is far more glorious than anything we will ever know in this life. Every picture of heaven the Bible paints for us is beyond our understanding but assures us of heaven's beauty and splendor. This world is imperfect and subject to decay, but heaven's perfect beauty will never fade. When God gave the apostle John a glimpse of heaven's glory, his immediate response was to worship (see Revelation 22:8).
The most important truth about heaven, however, is that God will be there. No evil will ever touch us, but we will be safely in God's presence forever. The Bible says, "The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb (Christ) is its lamp" (Revelation 21:23). Think of it: In Heaven "we will be with the Lord forever" (1 Thessalonians 4:17)!"
Find the whole article here: http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=4199
Thanks for the post Rachel. I'd also like to add, for anyone interested, a STRONG recommendation of the book "The Great Divorce" by C.S. Lewis - a once atheist turned Christian in the middle of his life. This book aptly explains, (and then some), the near-impossible subject to grasp known as the image of both Heaven and Hell. I've read it a few times myself, and always find myself coming back to it.
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