Week 9 - Questions and Ethical Dilemmas

Here are a couple of questions that I am interested in exploring in the interviews I am conducting.

Firstly I want to ask about any tension or conflict the individual may be faced with in relation to their beliefs, and how this may impact the way they identify with the world. 

Another question I intend to ask is if the individual can identify any characteristics of what belief is to them, in general. 

I also want to ask a religious specific question grounded on superstition. I want to ask whether the interviewee is superstitious in anyway. In relation to this question I want to ask them how they evaluate the idea of success. I feel that a lot will be clarified for me in exploring this question, because I have an understanding that theistic and atheistic perspective in their own ways shape how success is achieved and defined.

I have a sense of constant paranoia about whether I am looking at the topic in general through a bias lens. There is also an ethical dilemma about whether or not some of my questions are breaching any boundaries of the interviewees. I have to be vigilant in assuring that the information being shared is completely confidential and anonymous. 

Week 8 - Research Assignment sample Introduction

The aims of the proposed research is to gain insight on people's beliefs and how they shape how we perceive life and possibly identify any constraints or boundaries people may have, in a contemporary setting due to said beliefs. I want to develop an understanding of why some people believe what they believe, by considering any influences, such as family and experiences, etc.

By looking at this subject through the scope of two perspectives, the purpose of the research is primarily based on personal interest and questioning. I would like to observe and highlight factors within a pair of controversial topics, which will avoid any bias or contradicting arguments.

I am anticipating that after conducting my research, a sense of commonality within between religious and non-religious views will become apparent. I am also hoping to offer a respected understanding of the worldviews of religious and atheistic people.

Week 5 - 'Darwinism and the Divine: Evolutionary thought and natural theology'.

A brief summary of a book called 'Darwinism and the Divine: Evolutionary though and natural theology'. I am looking at chapter 8: 'The concept of creation: reflections and reconsiderations'.

- Christianity insists that god is involved in the creation and evolution of the earth.

- 'How can the agency of creative action be transferred from God to the created order itself, without implying the conceptual redundancy of God?' (McGarth, AE 2011, p.233)

- Theists generally believe that God is the primary cause for any event.

- God is also understood to work through nature/natural causes in what is defined as a secondary matter.

- Debates whether God is violating the laws of nature by interfering with the process.

- Charles Darwin uncovered the laws of evolutionary biology.

- 'Either God is everywhere present in nature, or He is nowhere' ( McGarth, AE 2011, p.235). This is basically saying, the view is either black or white on whether God exists, not whether he exists but in no ways interferes in the progress of nature,

Reference:

McGrath, AE 2011, Darwinism and the divine. evolutionary thought and natural theology, Oxford ; Malden, MA : Wiley-Blackwell.

Week 4 - Evolution vs. Creationism (research assignment topic draft)

This week I was able to hone in on my topic and extract some questions for this stage. So far I am feeling good about what I currently have. Hopefully I can stick to these questions and methods. 

My primary question is: 

-How does theism and atheism influence one's outlook on existence?

My sub questions are: 

- What are people's perceptions of their beliefs? 

- Are we judged through our faith or lack of faith?

I am planning to employ two methods into my research, one of which is interviews, and the other is surveys. I have a few interviewees in mind, which fall under the individuals I am focussing on - Young adults, mature adults, atheists, and theists. 

Some key words that link to my research topic are: Beliefs, Knowledge, Circumstances, Difficulties, Influences, Worldview

Worldview is a very important key term within my research. When referencing this notion, it is primarily talking about how one perceives the world through their religious or scientific beliefs. This can encompass the idea of the reasons or constraints for peoples' decisions based on how they can make sense of the world, through questioning and reasoning. 

To me, this image depicts a material world created by our thoughts. This relates to my topic because truth is subjective to the individual and one will view our world differently to another, based on how they understand our existence. 

Week 3 - Basing my research around Creationism versus Evolution.

I've decided to tackle the life-long controversial dispute between creationism and evolution. I suppose this would come from a philosophical and sociological approach. I'm a little nervous about researching this topic because of the small scale intense debates I have been involved in, not ending too well. I have grown up in an Orthodox family, never understanding or believing in what my family believes in. I am interested to see how one is influenced by their beliefs and how both atheists and theists view our existence based on how they believe we have come to be. I intend to interview younger and older audiences. I'm targeting these individuals because I believe there would be an element of differentiation of influences within the different spectrum of time - as most people may know that science is becoming more and more influential in this day and age.

Below is a book I have skimmed over, 'Defending evolution':
 https://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=1NrssPvr7CwC&oi=fnd&pg=PA1&dq=creation+evolution&ots=8fUKiUmSAi&sig=__I8NHUgj19RO7h4AzTBVez-08Q#v=onepage&q=creation%20evolution&f=false

You might enjoy this intense debate between Richard Dawkins and Wendy Wright:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AekFGksvuDU

Week 2 - Discipline Areas

I am interested in the discipline area of art. At this stage I am thinking about how students feel marginalized in the art industry based on the fact that they do not aspire to become exhibiting artists. This idea originates purely from personal experience. I am not sure how common this is among other visual arts students, therefore I am a little skeptical about committing to this idea as my research topic. 

'If we place value only on higher test scores—and if the tests measure only math, problem-solving, and verbal skills—the arts are at a clear disadvantage. If we demand quick results, the arts will not supply them. The arts develop neural systems that often take months and years to fine-tune. The benefits, when they appear, will be sprinkled across the spectrum, from fine motor skills to creativity and improved emotional balance.' - Jensen, E. 

A key thinker who has had an impact on the Arts is Georg Wilhelm Freidrich Hegel. Hegel was predominantly involved in the art in which beauty is found. He believes that beauty is shown in a form called the Ideal. 

Week 1 - A brief introduction is in order!

Hi, my name is Aleks Spiric. I live in the Western suburbs of Melbourne. I enjoy the outdoors and nature - I like to spend as much time as I can at the beach or in the mountains. I have always loved the fine arts and spent a lot of my high school life pursuing a future in the Arts industry. Predominantly, I love to work with still life photography, but I also like to draw. Not until recently have I realized that I would prefer this as a hobby rather than a profession. The same can be said for music (I play the drums) - I have probably spent 80% of my VCE years in the music prac rooms with my band. This was something else I thought I wanted to pursue for my future, which also changed into something I preferred as a hobby. I have had a lot of inspiration from family and friends, which led me to my path towards education. 

My hobbies would include snowboarding, a small amount of surfing, photography, drawing and drumming. Snowboarding has become quite an obsession of mine after I had first given it a go. 

I have completed a Diploma of Visual Arts prior to this course. I did enjoy this course although I felt that the course had catered for students who aspired to become exhibiting artists. This isn't what I wanted to do, which made it hard for me to fully engage myself in the course. I did however acquire a lot of new knowledge and skills, as well as great friends and memorable experiences. 

Below is an image that I feel is a depiction of what research means. 

Research, to me, is a continuous cycle which involves observation, investigation and application. Through this we are able to develop an understanding of various topics or issues. In turn, I feel that the more we learn, the more we realise that we don't know, therefore supplying us with an incentive to keep learning and improving, this is mediated through different forms of research.