- On transdisciplinary research methods and the arts (practice-led artistic research)
- The research of Russell and Wittgenstein, their gaps in the 21st century from an epistemological point of view
- Three works on the theory of Wittgenstein
In this artistic research, I challenge myself to do innovative yet surprisingly simple research. For example, when discussing diversity, it is very complex in terms of thought, but very simple in terms of logic. As a methodology for studying them artistically, there is a relationship between materiality and technology.
What role does logic play in the relationship between materiality and technology?
What does this bring about in artistry?
What is technology for us?
The biggest changes in the academic world over the past 100 years are the establishment of the study of virology in the second half of the 20th century, the further development of molecular biology and the further advances in brain science research that would be unthinkable without the development of technology in the 21st century. I explore thereby transdisciplinary research methods, and I research on the topic of consciousness, objectivity and subjectivity epistemologically. In artistic research, I explore these topics in an artistic language such as through artistic mediums.1 What is an artistic language?: Generally for us artists, that is, on the cognitive level of expression, through creating with visual and acoustic material such as colours (timbre in sound), forms and words. In other words, a kind of creative activity, what we can perceive through seeing and hearing. Creating that creativity generates some kinds of symbolism and semiotic relationships through new creative materiality. New creative materiality is related to the natural sciences. Today, research into nature extends to research into the brain, viruses, and genetics. The resulting changes in our consciousness will lead to relationships of "non-materiality," a dialogue between society and the self, and a comprehensive relationship. So, the change in our worldview is that "the invisible world becomes visible with the help of technology." The new worldview that we perceive is expressed in "units", and we perceive its breadth and depth. It changes our perception of time, space, and our bodies.
From the perspective of the twenty-first century, I explore Wittgenstein's theory. In doing so, I am exploring Thomas Fuchs's academic book "ecology of the brain" (OUP, 2018) in the field of neuroscience in this artistic research "Metamorphosis". Capture 1, 'The Cosmos in the Head?', which provides a detailed and accessible analytical account of the relationship between Western formalism and philosophy, human perception, ideas, and so on.2 Thereby, I explain briefly a connection between my artistic research and that of Thomas Fuchs, who has written about this subject in his academic book "ecology of the brain" (OUP, 2018), and my work as an artist, where I attempt to draw a connection between traditional Japanese Surrealism and early 20th-century Western Surrealism. In this case, I deal with the painting of René Magritte from the perspective of psychology, which Thomas Fuchs addresses. In other words, these are the gaps between psychology in terms of cognitive neuroscience and aesthetics in terms of image science, e.g. between interpretation and inspiration. This exploration pursues contemporary gaps in Wittgenstein's theory and explores them methodologically.
“(...) This thesis is ultimately based on a still dualistic division of the world into bodiless and wordless subjectivity on the one hand, and a physically reduced material world on the other hand. Subjectivity is conceived of idealistically–though in the new robe of constructivism–while it is, at the same time, ascribed as a construct to purely material processes in the brain. (...)”3
Concerning Japanese cultural studies, the Japanese word "shinsho/心象" (mental image) is a division of one's own body, which is the "self", into a bodiless and wordless (subjective-) objectivity, not an ideal image, but rather a phenomenological image without any bodies (any objects). For example, " self-awareness ". This means that self-awareness is not a phenomenal mental state, such as the ego-being status of the mental, but rather the nothingness (Mu/無) status of the mental. This is probably related to the study of consciousness in neuroscience.
Thomas Fuchs shows us the neuroconstructivist thesis4 with a painting of Renè Magritte La condition humanie4. In addition, I would like to show a painting by René Magritte La Trahison des Images5–on the subject of objectivity and subjectivity–about what the surrealist painter René Magritte explored at the beginning of the 20th century, which is related to the artistic research "Metamorphosis" with the artwork of Joseph Nechvatal in the 21st century, which subject has a connection of "a still dualistic division of the world into bodiless and wordless subjectivity". The natural sciences were advancing, technology was developing, and on the intellectual level contradictions were emerging between our linguistic and cultural habits. One of the scholars who sought a theory to solve these problems was Ludwig Wittgenstein at that time–towards human and non-human society in the 21st century–no matter how much science advances, it is certain that we are part of nature and exist in the universe. The laws of nature won't change in the last 100 years and the future.
I challenge and research Wittgenstein's theory methodologically as a tool, exploring it in my artistic research "Metamorphosis".
According to Harry T. Costello and Ludwig Wittgenstein in "Notes on Logic", "It always has a contradictory, only one of them true, the other false. It and its contradictory have a complementary "sense" (Sinn), and the same "meaning" (Bedeutung), the meaning being the external fact, the fact meant, and they have only one fact between them. The two thus referring to the same fact, says Wittgenstein, are really only one proposition with two poles. You are able to verify the proposition as true when you observe that the pole you have asserted fits the fact. But it remains the statement of two alternative possibilities, of which you now know which alternative is true. The verified proposition is still double and symbolic, and does not fuse with the corresponding fact and disappear-as it did, for instance, in Royce's Hegelian "inner meaning and outer meaning of an idea." If you deny a proposition instead of asserting it, you reverse the polarity, and two such denials bring you back where you started. Russell indicated this on the blackboard by an arrow, which you might reverse and reverse again."6
These are worlds without answers.
"In philosophy there are no deductions; it is purely descriptive. The word ‘philosophy‘ ought always to designate something over or under, but not beside, the natural sciences. Philosophy gives no pictures of reality, and can neither confirm nor confute scientific investigations. It consists of logic and metaphysics, the former its basis. Epistemology is the philosophy of psychology. Distrust of grammar is the first requisite for philosophizing. Philosophy is the doctrine of the logical form of scientific propositions (not primitive propositions only). A correct explanation of the logical propo- sitions must give them a unique position as against all other propositions."7
In this artistic Research “Metamorphosis”, I explore practically with regard to the last paragraph of Harry T. Ostelo in Introduction of Notes on Logic, "In these days, when the Russell Analysts, and the Wittgenstein Semanticists confront one another almost as hostile camps, this present document from the time of common origins has taken on a renewed importance."8
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1 . Joseph Nechvatal; Robotic Arm assisted Painting (Coding, Painting, Projection), Sound composition
Erika Matsunami; Photography based Wall-Installation (Relief/Sculpture, Projection), Sound composition
2. In this paper I explore the differences between Western and Eastern traditions of self-awareness from a neuroscientific perspective. The intention was to present this artistic research at the CID/UNESCO World Congress in Athens in July 2024. However, due to illness and financial reasons caused by the corona pandemic crises and wars, I've had to postpone the presentation until next year.
3. ecology of brain, Thomas Fuchs, OUP 2018, p.26
4. La condition humaine (the Human Condition) (1933), oil on canvas, René Magritte (Belgium, 1898–1967). National Gallery of Art, Washinton DC, USA/Bridgeman images. © ADAGP, Paris and DACS, London 2017
5. La Trahison des Images (Ceci n'est pas une pipe) (The Treachery of Images [This is Not a Pipe]) (1929), oil on cancas, René Magritte (Belgium, 1898–1967). Purchased with funds provided by the Mr. and Mrs. William Preston Harrison Collection (78.7), Los Angeles County Museum of Art
https://www.lacma.org/magritte-index
6. Notes on Logic, Harry T. Costello and Ludwig Wittgenstein, The Journal of Philosophy , Apr. 25, 1957, Vol. 54, No. 9 (Apr. 25, 1957), p. 231
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2021898
7. Ibid. pp. 231–232
8. Ibid. p. 231
What is 'proposition' Wittgenstein?
on Wittgenstein's view every proposition is the value of the general propositional form, because propositions have a common essence (pictorial structure), by which they say that “such and such is the case”, and which makes them true or false.
It ends the book with the proposition "Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent" (German: Wovon man nicht sprechen kann, darüber muss man schweigen).
Every atomic proposition is constructed from "names" that correspond to "objects", and the interaction of these objects generates "states of affairs," which are analogous to what Russell called atomic facts.
“We must not say, the complex sign ‘aRb’ says ‘a stands in a certain relation R to b’; but we must say, that ‘a’ stands in a certain relation to ‘b’ says that aRb” (3.1432).”[17]
[17] Introduction, Bertrand Russell, “Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus”, Ludwig Wittgenstein, LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., LTD., NEW YORK: HARCOURT, BRACE & COMPANY, INC., 1922, p.9
A part of the methodology I explore in my artwork
– Between Information (Statistic and Analysis) and Meaning (Sinn und Bedeutung) in the 21st century