INTRODUCTION

Mental maps involve a bottom up process where various fragments of information are compiled, compared and arranged so that an overall concept or (concepts) is revealed. They are a useful tool for researching topics that encompass several different fields of study.

The purpose of this Blog is to collect various nodes of information (including ideas, concepts, facts, opinions, and resources) pertaining to how human beings experience and engage the outside world. Furthermore, these nodes will be collected from various different subjects including biology, psychology, philosophy, film, fine art, architecture and consciousness. Consciousness, in particular, serves as an ideal starting point for an investigation on human experience as it is the culmination of several mental and biological processes that define our “inner” life. Each node of information will be labeled according to its subject and, using these labels, the various nodes of information will be arranged into a “mental map”. The map will essentially resemble a lattice, tree, or index of some sort that will be posted on or made available via this blog. The mental map will not only illustrate key concepts pertaining to human experience, but also how these concepts work within a larger system of phenomena, thus creating a more complete and cohesive picture of the above topic. Naturally, there will be several drafts of this mental map; in fact, I imagine it will be a very long time before a fully complete version will be ready, especially considering the scope of the topic. Despite this I believe that key concepts will become apparent even in the early versions of the map and reveal intriguing opportunities for further research.

You can get involved by commenting on any of the postings below in the "dialogue" section. I would appreciate suggestions for any other resources such as articles, books, or films that are related to the general topic in some way. Also, feel free to remark on the validity of any of the posted ideas and propositions , the more the opinions the better. Use the links in "navigation" section to browse through the blog and to keep informed as to how the research is developing.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Below is the first draft of my thesis statement, this is obviously a work in progess and will be reviewed and updated as necessary.

BECOMING CONSCIOUS OF CONSCIOUSNESS WITHIN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT

One of the major motivational forces behind any act of design within the built environment is to elicit a certain type of experience within the occupier of that space. It seems logical that part of designing environments with fulfilling inner experiences would also include understanding how experiences travel through an individual’s emotional, psychological, and spiritual labyrinth. Following this line of thinking the study of human consciousness becomes crucial in the design and assessment of various built environments. Human consciousness is the most important mental faculty within a person. It is the conductor of our symphony of higher cognitive functions including the identification and development of the sense of self within an individual. Life for a person would be impossible without consciousness and its inherent sense of self, and can be severely affected when either is damaged. In addition, the interaction between an individual’s consciousness and the external environment often has profound effects on the development of a sense of self.

This thesis will analyze the acts of dividing and articulating space in the development of a person’s sense of self within the context of the reciprocal relationship between an individual’s consciousness and their external environment.

In order to investigate this rich and intertwined relationship the following methodology will be utilized:

1) Various examples of poetry, art, and film, as well as phenomenological, scientific, and religious texts will be reviewed in order to achieve a more detailed understanding of the development of a sense of self through conscious experience. Furthermore in order to study the development of the sense of self special attention will be attributed to emotional consciousness and appraisal.

2) This information will then be applied in specific case studies that will analyze built environments of various scales, functions and complexity.

3) The thesis will be further explored in more intimate detail through various creative acts including at least one short story and one design project.

4) The above research, case studies, and creative projects will be compiled and analyzed in order to determine the value of the information in relation to designing the built environment.

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