taste in art

daniel brought me a provocative essay by paul graham, called 'taste for makers.' you may find this piece stimulating, whether or not you agree with it. so have a look at it online at

http://www.paulgraham.com/taste.html/

and, of course, post your comments *here*.

graham works as a programming-language designer, among other things, so some of his ideas are doubtless stimulated by what he thinks a good *design* is [sc. in a programming language]. but his interests, and his comments in this essay, range very widely -- over sports, architecture, and the arts generally.

you'll see that a number of his points are enumerated in a series of paragraphs beginning 'good design is --- .' you might ask yourself critically whether you agree with each of these; if so, why; and if not, why not.

and then, of course, tell us.

back yet again: a new beginning

to a certain extent, this blog has been rather desultory precisely because there was no pressing need for it. i read recently [in the NY times?] that something like 80 THOUSAND new blogs are created each day. so it stands to reason that some of them must be, to some extent at least, supererogatory [not to say gratuitous].

that said, i have been feeling a pressing need for a web-based forum in which my students can discuss topics of interest [including but not limited to topics that come up in class, for which there's not sufficient time to devote the detail they deserve]. the blog format is not the ideal medium for this -- actual bulletin-board software would be better -- but for now, this will serve.

so, as of today, i intend to devote 'coraxioms' primarily to the discussion of topics that i would like to see pursued further. only i can *post* a topic, but anyone can post a *comment* on a posted topic.

so students, read the topics as they are posted, and use the comment function to pursue [or continue, if we've begun in class] the conversation. have fun!

study abroad fair

today was purdue's annual study abroad fair. there were a couple dozen tables out on memorial mall, each one staffed by folks eager to induce passing students to at least think about studying abroad -- for a summer, a semester, a year. there were professors who [like myself] have taught abroad on such programs. and there were the students -- milling, collecting swag, munching popcorn, and checking it all out.

i feel very strongly that the study-abroad experience is vital to the american university education. it's extraordinarily important for a purdue student, because so many of them have never left indiana, let alone the USA. the notion of doing so may never have occurred to them. their parents may initially be actively hostile to the idea. this was all already true before 9/11; the sentiments have only grown stronger since then. and of course it's a recipe for xenophobia, prejudice, and blinkered living.

all of this is *in addition to* the intrinsic value, to classical studies, of travel to greece, to italy, and to other places in the mediterranean (and britain) where there are material remains of the greco-roman world. this summer i taught a course in greece, 'land of gods and heroes: greek mythology in greece,' which was based on the concept of linking texts to places. we would read myths and legends, and then go and see where they 'happened.' i do firmly believe that there's no more powerful way to experience the classics; and that no student who spends even a few weeks abroad will ever be the same person again. it's as simple as that.