tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34480619.post8797230457210596649..comments2024-03-11T13:47:03.621-05:00Comments on Physics and Physicists: Dance To String TheoryZapperZhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15861398273820851809noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34480619.post-10921261274947400182012-11-21T04:27:50.127-06:002012-11-21T04:27:50.127-06:00Perhaps we're judging these artistic works by ...Perhaps we're judging these artistic works by the wrong standard. Why does anyone need to see the dance, and from that alone, understand something about Physics?<br /><br />Let's make an analogy to astronomical photography. Hubble treasury pictures stand on their own as beautiful art. But for those of us who know even a little astronomy, we can appreciate the art even more because we recognise the signatures of physical processes. No member of the public is going to learn anything about star formation from looking at the "Pillars of Creation" without some explanation.<br /><br />So if the choreographer has used some part of string theory to generate ideas for a wonderful dance, we can enjoy it on two levels. That is, if the choreographer has understood and represented something fundamental from the theory. And a dance enthusiast can use an interpreter or show notes to get a small peak at that second level of enjoyment.<br /><br />Of course, the number of people who enjoy modern dance as an art form AND understand string theory is vanishingly small (but non-zero: I know at least one dancer-physicist!). But this is an opportunity to enlarge that overlap. A dance enthusiast, who is otherwise wilfully ignorant of any and all science, may be motivated to understand the theory even a little so that they too can appreciate the work on two levels (the organizers could easily survey to the audience to find out if this actually happens).<br /><br /> Or, some of us jaded physicists, dragged kicking and screaming into the theater, may develop an appreciation for new forms of art.Doug Applegatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12997327905799539040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34480619.post-26105684076168361962012-11-20T22:52:45.011-06:002012-11-20T22:52:45.011-06:00Have you ever seen Phillip Glass's "Einst...Have you ever seen Phillip Glass's "Einstein on the Beach"? <br /><br />http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOU0koRXNcU<br /><br /> I saw the current revival a few months ago. Not only an amazing work of art, but I have to say I saw some real allusions not only to Einstein's life but also his work. Very abstract and vague, of course, but I think it worked really well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com