Understanding the neural underpinnings of emotion enables a re-imagining of traditional aesthetics in which landscape art is conceived as "dance for the dancer." Eschewing the "ocularcentric" for the _kinesthetic_ yields a fresh theory of artistic expression in landscape applicable to all fine art.

Accounting for expression presents a central problem for aesthetic theories; It is the problem of how a nonsentient physical object—a painting, a concerto, a dance—can “carry” or convey human emotion. How, for example, does a perceived shape or “form” become a “felt” form? In dance, to speak of “form” is to refer to both the changing shape of the dancer’s body and the dynamic shape the dancer’s movements describe in space. Dance is distinguished from some other visual arts in that (...) the seen object, the dancer, unlike, say, a work of sculpture, presumably has experienced emotions even if she does not experience them while dancing. The audience spectator, however, does not see the dancer’s emotions, only her bodily... (shrink)

Presented as a diary of a year-long search, this book explores Sabbath-keeping from the point of view of a doubting Jew trying to make sense of what has become a quaint, obsolete practice. Although the book relies upon centuries of philosophical thought, it is accessible, direct, and often humorous, aimed at others who, like Susan Pashman, cannot blindly 'obey, ' but who demand a sensible basis for their practices. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. What does this mean? And (...) why is it a moral obligation, ranked high on a list of commandments that includes refraining from murder, lying, cursing, and picturing God? Ultimately, Dr. Pashman decides that 'stepping back' to an objective position--the starting point for moral conduct--is the detachment that Sabbath observance demands. A Sabbath properly observed is not just a day to unplug from technology; it is a day to attentively contemplate the lives and needs of others, to take a 'God's eye' view of the world. From time to time, the journey is paused for brief personal memoirs of Pashman's Sabbath experiences over the years. These poignant, often hilarious glimpses into her life before this quest introduce the reader to her atheist grandfather, her observant Uncle Wolfie, her sly mother-in-law, her cynical older son, and her younger son whose own children, she hopes, will continue engaging with Jewish traditions. Filled with wisdom and much humor, this is a book for both contemporary, skeptical Jews seeking to preserve personal autonomy while continuing family traditions, and also for those 'spiritual seekers' of all religions in search of the rootedness that tradition supplies, without having to engage in what they might regard as hypocrisy. (shrink)