"Original Work" in the 20th Century.
Looking at AM Turing's essay on "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" a very interesting point comes up, and that is the one on "original work" (Turing 83). Turing mentions this as part of a variant of Lady Lovelace's Objection. It should be noted that this idea has transcended all times and ages. As Turing says, "Who can be certain that "original work" that he has done was not simply the growth of the seed planted in him by teaching, or the effect of following well-known general principles?" (83) No one can. A similar thought always comes to mind on this issue and that is: well how do you even know that you are the first person to think of that? For instance, watching a fashion show on television these days can sometimes be almost identical to watching people walking the streets in the forties - especially when it comes to women's styles.
Watch Prada's 2007 Spring/Summer collection at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Kcp3RCK94 and make sure you pay attention to the high tight-waists, open-toe shoes, and mini-dresses, as well as the many bluntly stated observations of how even Prada gets ideas from the forties.
Apparently, we have reached the 21st century and while everything is moving forward with ingenious ideas, some fashion designers can not come up with much originality to call their own.
A teenage girl dressed in layered clothing with ballett flats on and a Hepburn haircut is seen to be original - but is she really?
A celebrity wearing a polka-dot mini-dress with a tight waist complimented with pumps, red lipstick and a clutch purse is seen as revolutionary - but has no one seen old movies?
The idea of "original work" fits in with the rest of Lady Lovelace's Objection that "the Analytical Engine has no pretensions to originate anything" (83), but in some areas of life, one can easily wonder if man is any more capable of doing so. Lynn's blog http://cmst1a0642839.blogspot.com really compliments this.
So, it is a belief of mine, and I am sure of many others, that fashion of the 21st century is only mimicking that of the early 20th.
But then again, it's fashion in the 21st century. Did we really expect more from the age of illegal downloading?
References
Turing, A.M.. “Computing Machinery and Intelligence.” Introduction to Communication. Alexandre Sévigny. Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2006. 77-85.
Looking at AM Turing's essay on "Computing Machinery and Intelligence" a very interesting point comes up, and that is the one on "original work" (Turing 83). Turing mentions this as part of a variant of Lady Lovelace's Objection. It should be noted that this idea has transcended all times and ages. As Turing says, "Who can be certain that "original work" that he has done was not simply the growth of the seed planted in him by teaching, or the effect of following well-known general principles?" (83) No one can. A similar thought always comes to mind on this issue and that is: well how do you even know that you are the first person to think of that? For instance, watching a fashion show on television these days can sometimes be almost identical to watching people walking the streets in the forties - especially when it comes to women's styles.
Watch Prada's 2007 Spring/Summer collection at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2Kcp3RCK94 and make sure you pay attention to the high tight-waists, open-toe shoes, and mini-dresses, as well as the many bluntly stated observations of how even Prada gets ideas from the forties.
Apparently, we have reached the 21st century and while everything is moving forward with ingenious ideas, some fashion designers can not come up with much originality to call their own.
A teenage girl dressed in layered clothing with ballett flats on and a Hepburn haircut is seen to be original - but is she really?
A celebrity wearing a polka-dot mini-dress with a tight waist complimented with pumps, red lipstick and a clutch purse is seen as revolutionary - but has no one seen old movies?
The idea of "original work" fits in with the rest of Lady Lovelace's Objection that "the Analytical Engine has no pretensions to originate anything" (83), but in some areas of life, one can easily wonder if man is any more capable of doing so. Lynn's blog http://cmst1a0642839.blogspot.com really compliments this.
So, it is a belief of mine, and I am sure of many others, that fashion of the 21st century is only mimicking that of the early 20th.
But then again, it's fashion in the 21st century. Did we really expect more from the age of illegal downloading?
References
Turing, A.M.. “Computing Machinery and Intelligence.” Introduction to Communication. Alexandre Sévigny. Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 2006. 77-85.
posted by sam @ 7:57 PM
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