Spartan Daily, March 8, 2007

Volume 128, Issue 25https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/spartandaily/10339/thumbnail.jp

Methods in Visual Mathematics: Reductionism in Researching Mathematical Principles in Art

The visual arts offer a reflective source for understanding the processing of aesthetics and beauty that is significant to an awareness of brain function and the human psyche. Evaluating and determining what factors are integral to the experience of aesthetics holds value for understanding deeper psychological implications of perception. I conducted a survey of Western portraiture determined to be famed through repeated Internet searching of famous art and best-selling prints for the purpose of examining the works for mathematical attributes proposed to cause the experience of visual pleasure. While mathematical principles and patterns can be found within each example of portraiture, the overarching issue encountered is the validity of the methods that are present in the research that declares the merit of the principles and patterns used. As the data suggesting the value of the attributes sought in the works is flawed, so too is any conclusion based upon it. The ability to quantify the qualitative in an objective manner does not yet exist. Therefore, it is invalid and reductionist to assert the experience of visual pleasure as relates to fame is based on a singular attribute that cannot be empirically established. Attempts to discover adequate methods are not wasted, as the discussion generated by inquiry into the experience of aesthetics offers positive philosophical and critical thinking applications. Furthermore, the promising new frontier for aesthetic research involves utilization of social networking and the Internet as tools

Attic Salt, 2017

https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/atticsaltlmu/1003/thumbnail.jp

Os links e os estudos webométricos

Neste artigo são abordados os estudos quantitativos aplicados à Internet e à Web. É dada especial atenção ao conceito de webometria, à sua abrangência, aplicações e possíveis denominações. São assinaladas as suas diferenças com a cibermetria e estabelecidas as relações que estes dois métodos mantêm com os tradicionais campos da bibliometria, cientometria e informetria. É enfocado também um recurso que vem despertando grande interesse entre os investigadores, não só por facilitar a navegabilidade entre sítios dentro da Web, mas também por constituir um dos indicadores mais relevantes dentro dos estudos webométricos: os weblinks. Na parte final, é feita breve revisão das pesquisas que têm sido realizadas sobre a estrutura, as funções e as motivações para a criação de links no espaço Web. Palavras-chave Webometria; Cibermetria; Métodos quantitativos; Links; Web. The links and the webometric studies Abstract This article deals with quantitative studies applied to the Internet and the Web. It addresses the concept of webometrics, its scope, uses and possible designations. It points out the differences between this concept and cybermetrics and it establishes the relationship that these two methods maintain with the tradicional fields of bibliometrics, scientometrics and informetrics. It also focuses on a resource that has been calling much attention among researchers, not only because it facilitates surfing on the Web sites, but also because it represents one of the most relevant indicators in webometric studies: weblinks. Toward the end, this article reviews the research that has been done about structure, functions and motivations for creating links on the Web space. Keywords Webometrics; Cybermetrics; Quantitative methods; Weblinks

An Empty Labyrinth: Nihilism and the Creation of Fear in Mark Z. Danielewski’s House of Leaves

In his debut novel, House of Leaves (2000, Mark Danielewski created a unique work of art, incorporating aspects of film and literary criticism as well as visual art into an already irregular novel. The complex nature of the novel allows it to be categorized as a work of ergodic literature: one which requires non-trivial effort on the reader’s behalf. However, House of Leaves has a powerfully frightening effect on the reader and in this paper, the author considers House of Leaves as a work of horror, based on the convictions that it incites fear in the reader and that this fear is established mainly by unknown forces. The paper looks at the effect of horror and the concept of nihilism in the context of the novel, and concludes that, faced with a nihilistic text such as House of Leaves, the reader’s experience is a unique one: he or she must choose how to react to the fear of nothingness and meaninglessness that is presented