Thinking with Things: Toward a New Vision of Art

Book Description

"As a major scholar of Meso-American art, Pasztory has written a valuable and substantive text."

— Art Documentation

"It would greatly contribute to the revitalization of art history if its practitioners would respond to Esther Pasztory's book with an energy commensurate with its critical polemic. She views art from a very long historical perspective, places it in a social science context, shifts the emphasis from taste to cognition, and brings it under the methodology implied by her title Thinking with Things. Taken together, this involves nothing less than a transformation of vision, with the widest implications for the practice of her discipline."

—Arthur C. Danto, art critic, The Nation

" Thinking with Things is an ambitious essay that addresses some of the fundamental issues in the fields of art history, anthropology, and aesthetics. Extending the discourse of George Kubler's classic The Shape of Time, Pasztory more directly confronts questions of form, representation, and the meaning of objects created by homo faber."

—David Rosand, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History, Columbia University

"Esther Pasztory, a renowned art historian, has immersed herself in the data and theory of anthropology, helping her forge tools which she employs to great advantage in this volume. Eschewing a narrowly 'esthetic' point of view, she shows, over and over again, how a people's art emerges from and reflects its social context. Fearlessly invading the thorny thickets of esthetic theory, Dr. Pasztory grapples with its great issues and presents to the reader a succession of views that are at once engaging, incisive, and provocative."

—Robert L. Carneiro, Curator, American Museum of Natural History

What is "art"? Why have human societies through all time and around the globe created those objects we call works of art? Is there any way of defining art that can encompass everything from Paleolithic objects to the virtual images created by the latest computer technology? Questions such as these have preoccupied Esther Pasztory since the beginning of her scholarly career. In this authoritative volume, she distills four decades of research and reflection to propose a pathbreaking new way of understanding what art is and why human beings create it that can be applied to all cultures throughout time.

At its heart, Pasztory's thesis is simple and yet profound. She asserts that humans create things (some of which modern Western society chooses to call "art") in order to work out our ideas—that is, we literally think with things. Pasztory draws on examples from many societies to argue that the art-making impulse is primarily cognitive and only secondarily aesthetic. She demonstrates that "art" always reflects the specific social context in which it is created, and that as societies become more complex, their art becomes more rarefied.

Pasztory presents her thesis in a two-part approach. The first section of the book is an original essay entitled "Thinking with Things" that develops Pasztory's unified theory of what art is and why we create it. The second section is a collection of eight previously published essays that explore the art-making process in both Pre-Columbian and Western societies. Pasztory's work combines the insights of art history and anthropology in the light of poststructuralist ideas. Her book will be indispensable reading for everyone who creates or thinks about works of art.

Color & Human Response: Aspects of Light and Color Bearing on the Reactions of Living Things and the Welfare of Human Beings

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A Well Rounded Resource for Students
Color and Human Response
Color and Human Response

Color & Human Response: Aspects of Light and Color Bearing on the Reactions of Living Things and the Welfare of Human Beings
Faber Birren
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Color, Environment, & Human Response
Color Psychology And Color Therapy: A Factual Study Of The Influence Of Color On Human Life
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ASIN: 0471288640

Book Description

"Birren presents a kaleidoscopic view of color information that has been a source of fascination…" — Color Research and Application "Keeps up with the latest developments in biology and psychology where light and color are involved." — AIA Journal Here is a major work by one of the best-known color authorities in the world. Faber Bitten pioneered in the field of "functional" color, using color properties to promote human welfare psychologically, visually, and physiologically; in this volume he has assembled a wealth of information on the subject. Color and Human Response offers intriguing factual and hypothetical observations on the influences of color in life, supported by historical references and the latest scientific data. Birren explores the biological, visual, emotional, aesthetic, and psychic responses to color — referring both to ancient symbolic uses of color as well as its application in the modern environment. His specifications for color in homes, offices, hospitals, and schools are geared toward relieving modem tensions and anxieties. Complete with drawings, color photographs, and a chapter on the personal meaning of color preferences, Color and Human Response will fascinate anyone concerned with the human environment, including scientists and psychologists. It has become a basic reference for architects, teachers, and interior and industrial designers.

Customer Reviews:

A Well Rounded Resource for Students.......2000-08-09

This book is an excellent tool for gaining an understanding the broad implications of color's effects on humans. It deals with everything from the scientific to the mystic. It is well organized and easy to understand.

Color and Human Response.......2000-04-18

The last chapter of this book is informative and interesting on why people prefer certain colors. This information is helpful to know how to choose colors for interior/exterior decorating, art work, and understanding people. The rest of the book deals with metaphysics and psycho-babble.

Color and Human Response.......2000-04-18

The last chapter of this book is informative and interesting on why people prefer certain colors. The rest of the book deals with metaphysics and psycho-babble.

A God Entranced Vision of All Things: The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards

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Gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for Edwards
Historical Theology/Biography with Plenty of Application!
great book - edwards continues to inspire!

A God Entranced Vision of All Things: The Legacy of Jonathan Edwards

Manufacturer: Crossway Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

God's Passion for His Glory: Living the Vision of Jonathan Edwards (With the Complete Text of The End for Which God Created the World)
Jonathan Edwards: A Life
The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Affliction in the Lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd (The Swans Are Not Silent, 2)
The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God's Triumphant Grace in the Lives of Augustine, Luther, and Calvin (The Swans Are Not Silent)
Contending for Our All: Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ in the Lives of Athanasius, John Owen, and J. Gresham Machen (Piper, John, Swans Are Not Silent)

ASIN: 1581345631

Book Description

“Useful men are some of the greatest blessings of a people. To have many such is more for a people’s happiness than almost anything, unless it be God’s own gracious, spiritual presence amongst them; they are precious gifts of heaven.”

Certainly one of the most useful men in evangelical history was the man who preached those words, pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards. Commemorating his 300th birthday, general editors John Piper and Justin Taylor chose ten essays that highlight different aspects of Edwards’s life and legacy and show how his teachings are just as relevant today as they were three centuries ago.

Even within the church, many people know little more about Edwards than what is printed in American history textbooks—most often, excerpts from his best-known sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” They unjustly envision Edwards preaching only fire and brimstone to frightened listeners. But he knew and preached God’s heaven as much as Satan’s hell. He was a humble and joyful servant, striving to glorify God in his personal life and public ministry.

This book’s contributors investigate the character and teachings of the man who preached from a deep concern for the unsaved and a passionate desire for God. Studying the life and works of this dynamic Great Awakening figure will rouse slumbering Christians, prompting them to view the world through Edwards’s God-centered lens.

Customer Reviews:

Gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for Edwards.......2007-09-07

A great concept for a book - ten different people writing about various facets of the life and legacy of Jonathan Edwards. I especially enjoyed the chapter that dealt with Jonathan's amazing wife Sarah as well as the chapter that wrestled with accepting the theology of a slave owner (yes, Jonathan Edwards did own slaves). The chapters were all written by individuals with a great appreciation for Edwards, his theology, his life, work and legacy, so reading it was a real joy...but not an easy task. Part Three of the book examined some of the theological issues best attributed to the work of Edwards, a Puritan and strict Calvinist whose writings on original sin, the freedom of the will and religious affections are still read and discussed today. The authors of this book pointed out various challenges to Edwardian theology and did an excellent job of communicating what Edwards wrote and taught without overshadowing it with their own opinions.

The book is great for any reader wanting to know more about Jonathan Edwards and although it isn't an easy book to read, it is worth the effort for someone wanting to either gain an appreciation for this man and his legacy or deepen their understanding of what he taught and the role he played at such a critical time in American history. Students of early American history should have a familiarity with Jonathan Edwards and this is a great book to move from acquaintance to appreciation.

Historical Theology/Biography with Plenty of Application!.......2005-02-17

A God Entranced Vision of All Things is a wonderful look at the legacy and relevance of Jonathan Edwards life and teachings. John Piper and Justin Taylor have assembled (and also contributed to) a remarkable series of essays on the different aspects of Edwards' legacy. As the back of the book declares: "This book's contributors investigate the character and teachings of the man who preached from a deep concern for the unsaved and a passionate desire for God. Studying the life and works of this dynamic Great Awakening figure will rouse slumbering Christians, prompting them to view the world through Edward's God-centered lens."

The book is divided into three sections. Part I "The Life and Legacy of Jonathan Edwards" introduces the book, and contains 3 essays on our need to rediscover Edwards, a biography of Edwards, and information about his marriage and family (ably done by Mrs. Noel Piper). Part II "Lessons from Edward's Life and Thought" contains some excellent essays by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever. But, for sheer impact and power, the highlight of this section was the essay by Sherard Burns, "Trusting the Theology of a Slave Owner". Mr. Burns, an African-American pastor and theologian, thoroughly and fairly looks at the reality of Edwards' ownership of slaves, and the failure of Edwards to apply his theology to that area. Burns, without excusing Edwards, gives a remarkable analysis of this sin in Edwards. Here are the paragraphs that blew me away:

"As an African American, I know daily the pressures of being in a predominantly white society. Yet how I approach that society, the grid by which I engage that society, is more telling than anything else. God cannot be sovereign over some things and yet not in control of others. This is no justification for abuse or racism, for such perpetuators will have their day of reckoning. But the eradication of racism today, as would be the case with slavery then, will not come about through programs, but by means of a God-centered and God-entranced view of reality. We must not be governed by the political persuasion of today, but governed by the sovereign reign and rule of God. Whatever we may think of Edwards, one thing is for certain: He left the American church with the necessary theological truths to kill racism in our hearts and to be conquerors of it in the church.

In light of that, though we fight and should fight the residue of such hatred in our day, the reality is that the desire to be theologically orthodox means we must add to our shelves books by dead white men who owned slaves. All our heroes today have clay feet. Jonathan Edwards was not a perfect man, and he did not get everything right, nor did he stand for all the right things. Neither do any of us. His blind spots and sins are pointers to our own blind spots and sins. To ask for grace and mercy on our own sins is, by logical implication, to be ready and willing to extend it to Edwards." (p. 170-171)."

Wow! 'Nuff said!

Part 3 "Expositions of Edwards's Major Theological Works" is also very helpful in understanding some of Edwards more(admittedly) difficult works. The book concludes with an Appendix by (of course) Piper, who writes an "Edwardsean Sermon" in honor of Edwards, and a helpful guide by Justin Taylor on "Reading Jonathan Edwards: Objections and Recommendations".

All in all, I highly recommend this work to anyone interested in gaining a more God-centered, God-entranced view of all things.

great book - edwards continues to inspire!.......2004-09-04

This really is a great look at a number of characteristics of Jonathan Edward's life and ministry. A pretty quick read, but rich in depth, the book unashamedly argues for exactly what it says: a "God-entranced vision of all things". Piper hits the ball out of the park in the chapters he contributes (did you expect any less?), and the chapters by J.I. Packer and Mark Dever are also particularly good. Check it out today!

World Without End: Mainstream American Protestant Visions of the Last Things, 1880-1925 (Religion in North America, 28)

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Excellent History of Changing of End Times Guard in USA

World Without End: Mainstream American Protestant Visions of the Last Things, 1880-1925 (Religion in North America, 28)
James H. Moorhead
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Marks of the Beast: The Left Behind Novels and the Struggle for Evangelical Identity
On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israels Best Friend

ASIN: 0253335809

Book Description

In the 19th century American Protestants firmly believed that when progress had run its course, there would be a Second Coming of Christ, the world would come to a supernatural End, and the predictions in the Apocalypse would come to pass. During the years covered in James Moorhead's study, however, moderate and liberal mainstream Protestants transformed this postmillennialism into a hope that this world would be the scene for limitless spiritual improvement and temporal progress. The sense of an End vanished with the arrival of the new millennium.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent History of Changing of End Times Guard in USA.......2001-10-14

Moorhead provides a well-written, thorough review of the decline of post-millenialism and the rise of premillenialism in America in the 1880-1925 timeframe.

He works from the thesis that historical criticism undercutting the Biblical foundation for post-mill and thus the removal of all coping mechanisms when crisis hits (such as depression and world war and societal declline) led to this eschatological shift.

Moorhead is a fine writer and documents his research with both primary and secondary sources. I enjoyed this read immensely and will find it a worthwhile resource to turn to. Well worth the read and purchase for all interested in end times in America.

On Seeing: Things Seen, Unseen, and Obscene
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On Seeing: Things Seen, Unseen, and Obscene
F. Gonzalez-Crussi
Manufacturer: Overlook Hardcover
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Five Senses

ASIN: 1585676748

Book Description

A probing and profoundly entertaining literary meditation on vision.

Vision Thing: Myth, Politics and Psyche in the World

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A VISION WORTH SEEING

Vision Thing: Myth, Politics and Psyche in the World
Thomas Singer
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0415195543

Book Description

Contemporary politics goes on at a mythic level. This is the provocative argument put forward in this unique book which results from the collaboration of practising politicians, organisational and political consultants, scholars of mythology and culture, and Jungian analysts from several countries.
The first part of the book focuses on leadership and vision, and features a reflection on myth and leadership by former U.S. Senator Bill Bradley. The second part deals with the way the theme of 'the one and the many' works itself out in politics today. From the perspective of 'the many', there are chapters on factionalism, ethnic strife, genocide and multiculturalism. From the perspective of 'the one', there are chapters on the economic myth and gender politics showing how these bring coherence to today's confused political scene, culminating in the suggestion that the modern political psyche is itself in the midst of a rite of passage.
The relevance of the book to the practice and study of politics, mainstream and marginal, cannot be overemphasised and the book will provide stimulating reading for practitioners and students in these areas as well as for those engaged in psychological work such as therapy, counselling or analysis.

Customer Reviews:

A VISION WORTH SEEING.......2000-06-08

I found THE VISION THING a startling, bold, and creative feast in which the contributors address culturally hot topics such as political leadership, law, gender, race, pure evil, the world wide web, and Aboriginal alcoholism from a perspective steeped in the shared collective nature of our minds. Reading these pieces is not only to engage pleasurably with passionate and generous thinkers on their chosen topics, it is to become tantalized and educated about a way of appreciating ourselves as human beings in political activities. That way requires awareness of the mythic and archetypal themes braided into our conscious involvements with cultural issues.

A sure sign of the power contained in this way of analysis, and of the contributors' skills in presenting it, is that THE VISION THING stirred my emotions as well as my thoughts. One piece made me dizzy; another left me sickened; I marvelled at one and despaired at another - rare reactions to a book so chock full of first class thinking. I read most articles with an excitement appropriate to mystery stories, eager to know the outcome as I was led on by the author's own sense of adventure. Without exception, each contribution left me more thoughtful, informed, and sensitive to its topic.

Book Description

The multiplicity of the self and the inaccessibility of truth are commonplaces of contemporary thought. But in Seeing Things Hidden they become key features of a philosophy of history that reunites emancipatory political theory with the apocalyptic tradition. Exploiting affinities between the work of Lukacs and recent American philosophers like Rorty and Cavell, Bull argues that the central dynamic of late modernity is the coming into hiding of the contradictory identities generated through political and social emancipation. Drawing on analytic and Continental philosophy he articulates the most ambitious philosophy of history since Francis Fukuyama's The End of History, presenting fresh interpretations of such icons of modernity as Hegel's master-slave dialectic, Benjamin's angel of history, Du Bois's concept of double consciousness, and Rawls's veil of ignorance.

Customer Reviews:

An excellent, genuinely accessible introduction........2000-07-05

Through literary and philosophical texts, Malcolm Bull's Seeing Hidden Things: Apocalypse, Vision And Totality investigates the disquieting and fantastic phenomenon of hidden wisdom, knowledge, and information imbedded in the connections between vision and cognition and the widespread assumption that knowledge is a form of sight. From a Heideggerian viewpoint Bull demonstrates that there is no stage at which the totality may be seen and clearly identified. Rather, it is the restriction of view that is a prerequisite necessity for an object to be brought into sight, that is, for an object to be known. Seeing Things Hidden is a superbly written, scholarly study, a truly welcome and much appreciated contribution to philosophy, and an excellent introduction that is genuinely accessible to both students and non-specialist general readers.

Things No Longer There: A Memoir of Losing Sight and Finding Vision

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The personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight
The personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight
The personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight

Things No Longer There: A Memoir of Losing Sight and Finding Vision
Susan Krieger
Manufacturer: University of Wisconsin Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0299208648

Book Description

Things No Longer There is a lovingly crafted collection of personal stories about the author's struggle toward enlightenment while losing her eyesight. It is also, more broadly, about invisible landscapes—places of the heart that linger long after they have disappeared from the world outside. In these ten brief tales and one novella-length intimate drama, Susan Krieger takes us on a series of adventures in vision, a journey both inward and to various parts of the country. We travel with her as she goes birdwatching before sunrise in the New Mexico desert, learns to walk with a white cane, revisits an old love, returns to a summer camp of her youth, and reflects on the nature of blindness and sight.
Krieger's touching memoir explores the ways that outer landscapes may change and sight may be lost, but inner visions persist, giving meaning, jarring the senses with a very different picture than what appears before the eyes. This book will reward both the general reader and those interested in disability studies, feminist ethnography, and lesbian studies.

Customer Reviews:

The personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight .......2005-10-05

These are personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight and provides ten brief reflections and one novella-length drama which follows Susan's birdwatching in a New Mexico desert, learning to use a white cane, and final enjoyment of life's visions before losing her sight. Outer landscapes may change, but inner vision persists - and Susan Krieger faces disability and a changed life with renewed vision. Things No Longer There is very highly recommended reading.

The personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight .......2005-10-05

Things That Grow (Learning Adventure Preschool)

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Things That Grow (Learning Adventure Preschool)
Brighter Vision
Manufacturer: Brighter Vision Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Terminal Visions: The Literature of Last Things

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Terminal Visions: The Literature of Last Things
W. Warren Wagar
Manufacturer: Indiana University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Foreign Languages | Reference | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0253358477

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