Class: January 17

Key Terms & Concepts

universe: order vs. chaos?

• Do things happen for a reason as part of a divine and/or natural plan? 
• Or do things just happen, as in "shit happens"?

German philosopher Georg Hegel

Hegel

• German philosopher who explained history as a dialectical process

dialectic

• a conflict theory that explains how and why things change

thesis

• the prevailing norm, paradigm, or way of thinking and doing things

antithesis

• an opposing way of thinking/doing things

synthesis

• what results from the tension between thesis and antithesis; eventually the synthesis becomes the thesis and the process begins over

Reflection

Golden Ratio seen in the Nautilus

While I grew up in a home in which we were taught that everything happens for a reason, that everything that happens is part of a divine plan, I often questioned this. For me, I saw as much evidence that "shit happens"; how else could you explain how so many bad things happen to good people? I also know of natural patterns such as the golden ratio (as seen in the nautilus cross-section) that suggest there ultimately is universal order. So, what do I believe in: universal order or chaos? As I learned in class today, this philosophical question is key to understanding theatre during the 18th century as new artistic movements emerged to challenge the well established and accepted Neoclassicism. I also learned how about German philosopher Hegel's dialectical theory which explained how history develops and how things change, including art. This theory clearly explains why we in American periodically shift back and forth from conservative to progressive ideas (and presidents and theatre seasons!).  165 words