This blog supports 3d model & rendering course at the university of toledo, center for the visual arts. class members are invited to post updates and pictures of their work-in-progress; thoughts and opionions on the reading; helpful tips on the use of the modeling/animation software (blender and terragen); links to other 3d artists of interest; miscellany related to 3d art and space.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Edwin Abbott's Flatland
Post your response to reading Abbott's tale of Flatland. To what purpose does he ask his readers to imagine a whole world existing in two-dimensions?
It’s a very interesting reading. The story goes from a first person view. The narrator used to be an inhabitant in a flatland, which is a mysterious two dimensional world, and now he moved to spaceland (three dimensions). Narration is all about his memories and experiences. He was a square when he lived in Flatland. Flatland is a place that judge and rank inhabitants by their sides: the more sides they have, the higher class they belong to. It’s a masculine society, so the women are straight lines (even not a close shape) in the bottom of the society. The lowest classes are triangles soldiers and workmen, who have sharp and formidable angle. Middle classes are equilateral triangles. Squares like narrator and pentagons are considered as gentlemen or professional. The nobility is a group of people, who have several degrees. The rule is the more sides and the smaller sizes a male inhabitant has, the more honorable he is regarded. In another word, the more circular shape a person close to, the more distinguished he is. This hierarchy society is Ironic but very persuasive; unrealistic but attractive. I think the purpose of writing is to help the reader understand how different the two dimensions from three dimensions. For example, inhabitants in flatland do not aware of the existence of the height in space. Hence, readers may question about their unconsciousness of four dimensions. Moving back and forth is two dimensional; moving up and down, back and forth is three dimensional. Is there any movement of direction that is unknown in the four dimensions? On the other hand, the reading reinforces the understanding of interactivity between two and three dimensions.
It’s a very interesting reading. The story goes from a first person view. The narrator used to be an inhabitant in a flatland, which is a mysterious two dimensional world, and now he moved to spaceland (three dimensions). Narration is all about his memories and experiences.
ReplyDeleteHe was a square when he lived in Flatland. Flatland is a place that judge and rank inhabitants by their sides: the more sides they have, the higher class they belong to. It’s a masculine society, so the women are straight lines (even not a close shape) in the bottom of the society. The lowest classes are triangles soldiers and workmen, who have sharp and formidable angle. Middle classes are equilateral triangles. Squares like narrator and pentagons are considered as gentlemen or professional. The nobility is a group of people, who have several degrees. The rule is the more sides and the smaller sizes a male inhabitant has, the more honorable he is regarded. In another word, the more circular shape a person close to, the more distinguished he is. This hierarchy society is Ironic but very persuasive; unrealistic but attractive.
I think the purpose of writing is to help the reader understand how different the two dimensions from three dimensions. For example, inhabitants in flatland do not aware of the existence of the height in space. Hence, readers may question about their unconsciousness of four dimensions. Moving back and forth is two dimensional; moving up and down, back and forth is three dimensional. Is there any movement of direction that is unknown in the four dimensions? On the other hand, the reading reinforces the understanding of interactivity between two and three dimensions.