Assignment 8: Artifact Readings
Questions
1. From the podcast, how has our understanding of what dinosaurs really look like evolved? Describe the progression of how we portrayed them and how might this effect our understanding of what Archeology is saying about them.
2. The artist/archcologist John Conway who is doing interpretaions of dinosaurs is obviously taking liberty with what could be the actual truth of how these creatures existed. What other fields of science, creative based disciplines and forms of studies use similer techniques that reminds you of this method or process. Please elaborate with your examples both written as well as images and links.
3. First, summarize in your own words the defination of 'Material Speculation' as described in the second and fourth article. Then, given the examples in the second article as well as the other examples provided of possible future products, how can 'Material Speculation' also be used to create speculative objects that refer to the past? What might be an example of a fictional object form the past, that creates the same dynamic of speculation.
4. "In a world ..." Brainstorming
Part I
Each person in the group is to create Three suppositions or hypotheses. Using the words "In a world..." or simply "If...." fill in the blank.
As each supposition is shared, then let the rest of the group consider what the outcomes might be. Everyone in the group is to participate in making a speculative statement that would be a response to the supposition. The response might be a predictive statement or something that finishes the idea started by the supposition. It can be strange, silly, dark, etc. Nothing is too weird. As you go, write down the suppositions and responses in your shared document.
You should do each supposition (culture, lifeform, technology) where each student can make a supposition as well as the group responses. Also, the person making a supposition should make a response as well.
- Junyi: people can understand each other much more.
- Winnie: we would all collectively be smart enough to leave Earth for a different planet.
- Alayna: There would be more equality in terms of wealth and opportunity. We would either have peace or chaos.
- Amin: Basically Dogs would get a job go to work, cook food while the human just plays and eats.
- Winnie: the homeless population of humans would increase.
- Junyi: role exchange, nothing happened.
- Alayna: Dogs think humans talking is like us thinking of dogs barking.
- Winnie: we would have an increase in swamp civilizations.
- Junyi: We would jump to church.
- Alayna: Flies would be a delicacy.
- Alayna: billionaires become plentiful and ban together to construct underwater cities for the poverty stricken world population to live. There are many, many unknown about the ocean, however the billionaires do not care for the poor so they do not care if by displacing the poor to under the ocean, they are putting them in danger.
- Winnie: society starts throwing people who are taller than 5’8” and weighing more than 200lb into space, forcing a “natural selection” of short and small people.
- Junyi: We would have smaller living spaces and more apartments.
- Junyi: No more waste food and a better air environment.
- Winnie: all humans would be green.
- Alayna: People that live in places that are notoriously cloudy would be frail.
- Winnie: the deforestation of trees would be reversed.
- Junyi: Everyone has much more balance.
- Alayna: we would be able to emote with them.
- Alayna: there would be no hairballs.
- Winnie: dogs and cats would be come endangered.
- Junyi: pet shop will be overpopulation because of fur makeup.
- Junyi: Crime rate will get lower and offenders can’t get away easily.
- Winnie: memories of the rich and powerful would be stolen and the world would be a scarier place, filled with blackmail.
- Alayna: Alzheimers and other brain disorders would be considered a corrupted file more than a debilitating disease.
- Winnie: the consumption of potatoes would become illegal, an act that requires the death sentence of themselves and their families.
- Junyi: Everyone want to become a farmer and plant potato.
- Alayna: Potatoes would rule the world.
- Alayna: people could hack our minds, and truly alter our reality in another way that isn't just traditional gaslighting.
- Junyi: you can get access with memories whenever you want (forget less things).
- Winnie: Boyfriends would have an easier time.
Part II
Once you are done with the 'If and then' Then go back and review each of the ideas. Choose 1 from each of the 'If then' catagories of culture, lifeform, technology that you like and want to explore further.
- Winnie: we would have an increase in swamp civilizations.
- Junyi: We would jump to church.
- Alayna: Flies would be a delicacy.
Artifact ideas: God frog, frog church, flies in a jar.
- Junyi: No more waste food and a better air environment.
- Winnie: all humans would be green.
- Alayna: People that live in places that are notoriously cloudy would be frail.
Artifact Ideas: green human
- Alayna: people could hack our minds, and truly alter our reality in another way that isn't just traditional gaslighting.
- Junyi: you can get access with memories whenever you want (forget less things)
- Winnie: Boyfriends would have an easier time.
Artifact Ideas: graph of rising marriage rates