Just some random stuff...

How much time have you actually dedicated to contemplating things like how the atmosphere of a movie theater fundamentally alters our perception of film? Or perhaps, reflecting on the philosophical implications of intoxication—and whether it is even possible to truly contemplate a state of being while currently experiencing it? In other words, how often do we pause to consider those mundane, everyday elements that profoundly shape the totality of our lives from a philosophical, aesthetic, or emotional perspective?

Predrag Finc, a former professor of aesthetics at the University of Chicago and currently a research fellow at Columbia University in New York City, devotes his work to precisely these kinds of inquiries. His intellectual scope is vast, ranging from the study of pornography and substance use to the deep philosophy of Wittgenstein and the heavy realities of the Holocaust. His latest volume, Art Destroyed (Aesthetics, War and Holocaust), was recently released here in Chicago (Antibarbarus Publishing, Chicago 2005).

You can find a selection of his essays (written in English) at this address: www.predragfinci.com.

It is certainly worth your time, particularly the piece titled Down a Winding Street (Thinking of Drinking).

For those who prefer not to read in English, the original version of the text is available at www.newwimm.com.

cosmicskipper55, these links aren't working at all.

cosmicskipper55 said:How much time have you guys actually spent dwelling on things like, I don't know, how the vibe of a movie theater affects the whole experience? Or even deeper stuff, like the philosophical side effects of being high—and whether it's even possible to really think about being in that state while you're actually in it? Basically, how much time do you spend thinking about those everyday things that shape our lives? You know, philosophically, aesthetically, emotionally... just in every way that matters.

I mean, obviously, big philosophical questions grow right out of everyday life. Real philosophy comes from living through things, not just some "academic" textbook stuff. Philosophy is supposed to be about the whole picture, right? That means we shouldn't leave out experiences like getting wasted or dealing with a crappy theater if they're part of what we're going through. (And I won't say "unfortunately" about that, because why would I? 😁 )
I'm guessing you're just using the theater and being high as examples, not saying that's all we should talk about? 🙂

mistyfox812 said:cosmicskipper55, these links aren't working.

This is quite embarrassing; I made an error by including the period at the end. Here are the correct addresses:

www.predragfinci.com and

www.newimm.com

My apologies. 😢

The launch for Finc's book, "Art Destroyed," published by Antibarbarus Publishing, will take place on Tuesday, November 15, 2005, at the Jewish community center in Chicago, starting at 7:00 PM. Please note that the author will not be in attendance.

A completely redesigned digital and visual interface www.predragfinci.com featuring one major update: all texts are now available in .pdf format, optimized for both screen reading and printing.

By the way, while working on this site, I found myself wondering how philosophy can truly coexist with an information age defined by rapid-fire data and superficial comprehension. Furthermore, I pondered how one might transition philosophical discourse into a digital space without it devolving into a cluttered, colorful blog or becoming nothing more than a dry, endless stream of text.

cosmicskipper55 said:A completely redesigned digital and visual interface www.predragfinci.com featuring one major update: all texts are now available in .pdf format, optimized for both screen reading and printing.

By the way, while working on this site, I found myself wondering how philosophy can truly coexist with an information age defined by rapid-fire data and superficial comprehension. Furthermore, I pondered how one might transition philosophical discourse into a digital space without it devolving into a cluttered, colorful blog or becoming nothing more than a dry, endless stream of text.

I don't see any solution that manages to avoid both scenarios described here.
The internet simply isn't designed for that kind of depth.
At least, that is my humble opinion.

Regarding the topic at hand; while I know you were aiming for deeper secondary implications, I tend to get hung up on trivialities—things like the arbitrary logic behind why the third day of the week is called Wednesday. We aren't some ancient tribe with mystical reasoning.
Or why people sitting at red lights suddenly feel the urge to wonder if car windows are actually opaque.
Or why I look completely different in a mirror compared to a photograph, yet everyone else seems to look exactly the same in both. Not that I spend my time staring intensely at strangers in mirrors, but you get my point.😁

electricdriver93 said:I don't see any solution that manages to avoid both scenarios described here.
The internet simply isn't designed for that kind of depth.
At least, that is my humble opinion.

Regarding the topic at hand; while I know you were aiming for deeper secondary implications, I tend to get hung up on trivialities—things like the arbitrary logic behind why the third day of the week is called Wednesday. We aren't some ancient tribe with mystical reasoning.
Or why people sitting at red lights suddenly feel the urge to wonder if car windows are actually opaque.
Or why I look completely different in a mirror compared to a photograph, yet everyone else seems to look exactly the same in both. Not that I spend my time staring intensely at strangers in mirrors, but you get my point.😁

What is your impression of the page linked above regarding that specific point?

electricdriver93 said:I don't see any solution that manages to avoid both scenarios described here.
The internet simply isn't designed for that kind of depth.
At least, that is my humble opinion.

Regarding the topic at hand; while I know you were aiming for deeper secondary implications, I tend to get hung up on trivialities—things like the arbitrary logic behind why the third day of the week is called Wednesday. We aren't some ancient tribe with mystical reasoning.
Or why people sitting at red lights suddenly feel the urge to wonder if car windows are actually opaque.
Or why I look completely different in a mirror compared to a photograph, yet everyone else seems to look exactly the same in both. Not that I spend my time staring intensely at strangers in mirrors, but you get my point.😁

??? What does the Jewish community have to do with this? Their days are identified by sequential numbers and they don't even utilize descriptive names like Tuesday or Wednesday...

cosmicskipper55 said:What is your impression of the page linked above regarding that specific point?

??? What does the Jewish community have to do with this? Their days are identified by sequential numbers and they don't even utilize descriptive names like Tuesday or Wednesday...

Well, for the Jewish community, Saturday is their version of our Sunday, right?
In that case, Sunday would be the first day of the week, making Wednesday the fourth.
And wouldn't it have to be structured that way to actually be called Wednesday?😁

I'll go check out the site and let you know my thoughts.

The page is in English.😲
Why on earth would they do that?😁

Once the initial shock wears off, I find myself returning to take another look.

The simplicity and functionality are excellent.
The lack of unnecessary clutter is also a plus.
However, the font and line spacing feel slightly too large.
White text on a black background is difficult to read.
It becomes straining after just a minute or two.
That is my humble, non-expert opinion.

electricdriver93 said:The page is in English.😲
Why on earth would they do that?😁

Once the initial shock wears off, I find myself returning to take another look.

The simplicity and functionality are excellent.
The lack of unnecessary clutter is also a plus.
However, the font and line spacing feel slightly too large.
White text on a black background is difficult to read.
It becomes straining after just a minute or two.
That is my humble, non-expert opinion.

That was simply the boss's request. Perhaps an American version will be released in the relatively near future.

It would be pretty great if he actually did, especially since he’s someone from our neck of the woods. Honestly, you can find endless versions of these kinds of texts in English, so why shouldn't we enrich the American 😬 linguistic landscape a little bit too? 😉