The artful universe
(Book)
Author
Published
Oxford : Oxford ; New York : Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press, 1995.
Status
Description
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Copies
Location | Call Number | Status |
---|---|---|
Ouray Public Library - NONFICTION | 111.85 BAR | On Shelf |
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More Details
Published
Oxford : Oxford ; New York : Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press, 1995.
Format
Book
Physical Desc
x, 274 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm.
Language
English
Notes
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (p.[247]-261) and index.
Description
In the Art Universe, Barrow explores the close ties between our aesthetic appreciation and the basic nature of the Universe, challenging the commonly held view that our sense of beauty is entirely free and unfettered. Barrow argues that the laws of the Universe, its environments and its astronomical appearance, have imprinted themselves upon our thoughts and actions in subtle and unexpected ways. Why do we like certain types of art or music? What games and puzzles do we find challenging? Why do so many myths and legends have common elements? Who created the cornucopia of constellations in the night sky? And why? In this eclectic and entertaining survey, Barrow answers these questions and more as he explains how the landscape of the Universe has influenced the development of philosophy and mythology, and how millions of years of evolutionary history have fashioned our attraction to certain patterns of sound and color. Barrow casts the story of human creativity and thought in a fascinating light, considering such diverse topics as our instinct for language, the origins and uses of color in Nature, why we divide time into intervals as we do, the sources of our appreciation of landscape painting, and whether computer-generated fractal art is really art. Barrow reconsiders the question of whether intelligent extraterrestrial life exists, showing that the benefits (and even the likelihood) that might follow from the discovery of life on other worlds could be very different from what we might have been led to expect. Remarkably, we find that some of the properties of the Universe that are essential for the existence of any form of life play a key role in determining psychological and religious responses to the Cosmos
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Citations
APA Citation, 7th Edition (style guide)
Barrow, J. D. (1995). The artful universe . Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Barrow, John D., 1952-. 1995. The Artful Universe. Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Barrow, John D., 1952-. The Artful Universe Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press, 1995.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Barrow, John D. The Artful Universe Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press, 1995.
Note! Citations contain only title, author, edition, publisher, and year published. Citations should be used as a guideline and should be double checked for accuracy. Citation formats are based on standards as of August 2021.
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