Returning to Clarissa Ribeiro’s ideas regarding fundamental entanglement made me once again realize how two seemingly independent objects or ideas can be intimately connected in a way that is not initially obvious. There mere fact that Ribeiro’s understanding of such concepts as fundamental entanglement and quantum theory could be presented in the form of an art gallery is proof of art’s connection to a myriad of other disciplines.
If there is any difference between humans and other animals, it is that humans have a false sense of superiority while animals do not. It is this self-affirmed superiority that has led mankind to not only take on different species of animal as pets, but also to degrade and inflict pain upon them under the presumption that they do not have feelings or feel pain in the same way that humans do. As an example, a common myth exists that because fish have small brains, their memory can only extend as far back as a few seconds.
Bees and humans exhibit similar interests in forming complex social communities. As pointed out in last week’s presentation, bees are intelligent, meticulous, and social animals. At first, I was struck by the complicated nature of bee societies. In addition to having unique forms of communication, such as “waggle dancing,” bees are also known for being altruistic. Like ants and other animals that form large social groups or colonies, bees act in ways that preserve the well-being of their community rather than simply their own lives.
Last week’s seminar on soil reminded me of an environmental science project I had in high school. The project dealt with the contamination of local water reservoirs with human waste products, particularly spice compounds such as vanillin and cinnamaldehyde that become common in our waste during the holiday season. Though having no direct harm to humans, these compounds can have detrimental effects on smaller organisms such as daphnia (water fleas).
The theory of fundamental entanglement uses quantum mechanics to make the assumption that everything in the universe is in some way connected with everything else at a an atomic or even subatomic level. From this, it follows that connections can be made between any two objects, even if those two objects are seemingly unrelated or very far away from each other. The assumptions that fundamental entanglement makes are so bizarre, that many skeptics disregard this theory without fully assessing its likelihood.
Technological advancements to maximize efficiency in the food industry has been met with criticisms in the form of documentary muckraking. Documentaries such as Food Inc. and Supersize Me can be viewed as artistic responses to mechanization in the food industry and the consequences that mechanization might have on us in the future. For one thing, fast food has been proven to be unhealthier and more fattening than other foods. In a study performed by Janet Currie and company, fast food was found to be connected to numerous cases of childhood obesity (Currie et al 33-34).
Addressing cancer involves finding cures, engaging in preventative measures, and pursuing greater efforts to educate the public about the disease. That there exists such numerous and varied ways to beat cancer is testament to the existence of a strong collective human desire to overcome this physically and emotionally testing disease. In addition to such treatments as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, there are many proposed cures for cancer, some of which lie outside the bounds of conventional medicine.
