<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
<p>
</p>
<p>
<meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14">
<meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 14">
<style>@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:238;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-469750017 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}p.Default, li.Default, div.Default
{mso-style-name:Default;
mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
mso-layout-grid-align:none;
text-autospace:none;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
color:black;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:12.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:12.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
line-height:150%;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times
New Roman";
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:PL"
lang="EN-GB">Book Presentation</span></b><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:PL"
lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB">“Theory and Practice of Contrast:
Integrating Science, Art and Philosophy.”</span></b><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:PL"
lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB">Mariusz Stanowski</span></b><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><b><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB">Published June 10, 2021 by CRC Press
(hardcover and eBook).</span></b><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:
"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:PL"
lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB">Dear FIS list members,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
line-height:normal"><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New
Roman";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:
PL" lang="EN-GB">Many thanks for the opportunity to present my
recent book in this list.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Our dispersed knowledge
needs an underlying structure
that allows it to be organised into a coherent and complex
system.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:35.4pt"><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"
lang="EN-GB">I believe
“Theory and Practice of Contrast” provides such a structure by
bringing the
considerations to the most basic, general and abstract level.
At this level it
is possible to define <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">contrast
as a
tension between common and differentiating features of
objects. It grows in
intensity as the number/strength of differentiating and
common features of
contrasting structures/objects increases</b>. Contrast
understood in this way
applies to any objects of reality (mental and physical) and is
also an impact
(causal force) in the most general sense. Contrast as a common
principle
organises (binds) our knowledge into a coherent system. This
is illustrated by
a diagram of the connections between the key concepts:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:35.4pt"><span
style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:35.4pt"><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-fareast-language:PL;mso-no-proof:yes"><img
src="cid:part1.3l4W85v9.rMeckTi6@wp.pl" width="545"
height="209"></span><span style="font-family:
"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"
lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:35.4pt"><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"
lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Below are brief
descriptions of these connections.</span><span
style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:35.4pt"><span
style="font-family:"Times New
Roman","serif";mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"
lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span
style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Contrast—Development </span></b><span
style="mso-ansi-language:
EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">When observing a contrast, we also observe
the connection between
contrasting objects/structures (resulting from their common
features) and the
emergence of a </span><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:
EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">new, more complex structure possessing the
common and differentiating
features of connected structures. In the general sense, the
emergence of a new
structure is tantamount to development. Therefore, it may be
stated that
contrast is a perception of structures/objects connections, or
experience of
development. The association of contrast with development
brings a new quality
to the understanding of many other fundamental concepts, such
as beauty, value,
creativity, emergence. (Similarly, <i>contrast as development
</i>is understood
in Whitehead’s philosophy).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><span
style="color:windowtext;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Contrast—Complexity
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">In
accordance with
the proposed definition, when we consider the contrast between
two or more
objects/structures, it grows in intensity as the
number/strength of
differentiating and common features of contrasting
structures/objects
increases. Such an understanding of contrast remain an
intuitive criterion of
complexity that can be formulated as follows: <b
style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style:italic">a system
becomes more complex
the greater is the number of distinguishable elements and
the greater the
number of connections among them</span></b><i>. </i>If in
definition of
contrast we substitute “differentiating features” for
“distinguishable elements”
and “common features” for “connections”, we will be able to
conclude that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">contrast
is the perception and measure of
complexity.</b></span></p>
<p class="Default" style="text-indent:35.4pt;line-height:150%"><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Note:
Two types of contrasts
can be distinguished: the sensual (physical) contrast, which
is determined only
by the force of features of contrasting objects and the mental
(abstract)
contrast which depends primarily on the number of these
features. (This
contrast can be equated with complexity). (The equation of
contrast with
complexity is an important finding for the investigations in:
cognitive
sciences, psychology, ontology, epistemology, aesthetics,
axiology, biology,
information theory, complexity theory and indirectly in
physics).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><span
style="color:windowtext;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Complexity—Information
Compression </span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Intuition
says that
the more complex object with the same number of components
(e.g. words) has
more features/information (i.e. more common and
differentiating features),
which proves its better organization (assuming that all
components have the
same or similar complexity). We can also say that such an
object has a higher
degree of complexity. The degree of complexity is in other
words the brevity of
the form or the compression of information. Complexity
understood intuitively
(as above) depends, however, not only on the complexity degree
(that could be
defined as the ratio of the number of features to the number
of components) but
also on the (total) number of features, because it is more
difficult to
organize a larger number of elements/features. In addition,
the more features
(with the same degree of complexity), the greater the
contrast. Therefore, in
the proposed <i>Abstract Definition of Complexity </i><span
style="mso-bidi-font-style:
italic">(2011)</span>, we multiply the degree of complexity
by the number of
features. This definition defines the complexity (C) of the
binary structure
(general model of all structures/objects) as the quotient of
the square of
features (regularities/substructures) number (N) to the number
of components or
the number of zeros and ones (n). It is expressed in a simple
formula: C = N²/n
and should be considered the most general definition of
complexity, among the
existing ones, which also fulfils the intuitive criterion.
(This relation
explains what compression of information in general is and
what role it plays
as a complexity factor. This allows to generalize the notion
of information
compression and use it not only in computer science, but also
in other fields
of knowledge, such as aesthetics, axiology, cognitive science,
biology,
chemistry, physics).</span></p>
<p class="Default"><b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:
EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Information
compression—Development </span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Our
mind perceiving
objects (receiving information) more compressed, saves energy.
Compression/organization of information reduce energy of
perception while
maintaining the same amount of information (in case of
lossless compression).
Thanks to this, perception becomes easier (more economical)
and more enjoyable;
for example, it can be compared to faster and easier learning,
acquiring
knowledge (information), which also contributes to our
development. Compression
of information as a degree of complexity also affects its
size. Complexity, in
turn, is a measure of contrast (and vice versa). Contrast,
however, is
identified with development. Hence, complexity is also
development. This
sequence of associations is the second way connecting the
compression of
information with development. Similarly, one can trace all
other possibilities
of connections in the diagram. (The association of information
compression with
development brings a new, explanatory knowledge to many fields
including
cognitive science, aesthetics, axiology, information theory).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Development—Value
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Development
is the
essence of value, because all values (ethical, material,
intellectual, etc.)
contribute to our development which is their common feature.
It follows that
value is also a contrast, complexity and compression of
information because
they are synonymous with development. (The relation explains
and defines the
notion of value fundamental to axiology).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><span
style="color:windowtext;
mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Value—Abstract
Value </span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">About
all kinds of
values (with the exception of aesthetic values) we can say,
what they are
useful for. Only aesthetic values can be said to serve the
development or be
the essence of values, values in general or abstract values.
This is a property
of abstract concepts to express the general idea of something
(e.g. the concept
of a chair includes all kinds of chairs and not a specific
one). It follows
that <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal">what is specific
to aesthetic value
is that it is an abstract value</b> (although it is
difficult to imagine).
(This is a new understanding of aesthetic value, crucial for
aesthetics and
axiology).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Contrast—Being
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Contrast
or interaction is a
concept prior to the concept of being because without
interaction there is no
existence. It follows that the basic component of being must
be two
objects/elements/components (creating a contrast) having
common and
differentiating features. (Understanding of being as a
contrast is fundamental
to ontology and metaphysics and worth considering in physics).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Contrast—Cognition
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">The
object of
cognition and the subject (mind) participate in the cognitive
process. The
object and the subject have common and differentiating
features, thus they
create a contrast. Cognition consists in attaching (through
common features)
differentiating features of the object by the subject. In this
way, through the
contrast, the subject develops. It can therefore be said that
cognition is a
contrast of the object with the subject. (This is a new
definition of cognition
important for epistemology and cognitive science).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Cognition—Subjectivity
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">The
above
understanding of cognition agrees all disputable issues
(present, among others,
in psychology, cognitive science and aesthetics) regarding the
objectivity and
subjectivity of assessments (e.g. whether the source of beauty
is the
observer's mind, whether it is a specific quality from the
observer
independent), because it shows that they depend on both the
subject and the
object, i.e. depend on their relationship—contrast.</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Compression
of information—Beauty </span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Beautiful
are
objects with high information compression (a large degree of
complexity/organization). Thanks to the compression of
information, perceiving
beauty, we save energy, the perception becomes more economical
and pleasant
which favours our development and is therefore a value for us.
</span><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">The
example is golden division. </span><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Counting
features
(information) in all possible types of divisions
(asymmetrical, symmetrical and
golden) showed that the golden division contains the most
features/information
(an additional feature is well known golden proportion) and
therefore creates
the greatest contrast, complexity and aesthetic value.<span
style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>(This explains the
previously unknown reasons
for aesthetic preferences, key to aesthetics, art theory,
psychology, cognitive
science and neuroaesthetics).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Development—Beauty
</span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Beauty
contributes
to development thanks to the economy of perception. Perception
of beauty is
accompanied by a sense of development or ease and pleasure of
perception. (This
explains the causes of aesthetic preferences).</span></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"> </span></b></p>
<p class="Default" style="line-height:150%"><b><span style="color:
windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Abstract
Value—Beauty, Art </span></b><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">Only
beauty and art
have no specific value but they express/have value in general
(an abstract
value). The objects that make up a work of art are not
important, but their
contrast-interaction, which results from the complexity of the
artwork. (If we
see a single object in the gallery, then the art is its
contrast with the
context - as in the case of Duchamp's "Urinal" or Malevich's
"Black Square"). One can say that beauty and art are
distinguished
(defined) by two elements: abstract value and a large
contrast.</span><span style="mso-ansi-language:EN-GB"
lang="EN-GB"> </span><span
style="color:windowtext;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB" lang="EN-GB">(This
is a new and only
definition of beauty/art that indicates the distinctive common
features of all
aesthetic/artistic objects, it is crucial for the theory of
art, aesthetics,
axiology and epistemology).</span></p>
</p>
</body>
</html>