This book looks at the visual and performing arts of the world's societies, examining such issues as the origin of art, the ultimate nature of art, and the theoretical basis of art's role in human affairs. Anderson focuses on ten diverse societies, noting the similarities and differences found in these and other traditional aesthetic systems. The author examines San Aesthetics: The Enhancement of Life in a Foraging Society, Inuit Aesthetics: Art as Transformer of Realities, Aboriginal Australian Aesthetics: Sacramental Union with the Eternal Dreamtime, Aesthetics of the Sepik: Powerful Spirits and Phallic Aggression in New Guinea, Navajo Aesthetics: A Unity of Art and Life, Yoruba Aesthetics: Goodness and Beauty in West Africa, Aztec Aesthetics: Flower and Song, Aesthetics in Early India: “Rasa” and the Theory of Transcendental Enjoyment, Japanese Aesthetics: An Exultation of Beauty and Bliss, Western Aesthetics: A Quartet of Traditions, Comparative Aesthetics: The Many Faces of the Muse, Art as Culturally Significant Meaning, Style, Feeling, and Skill and Western Aesthetics in Cross-cultural perspective. For individuals interested in a comparative study of philosophies of art....

The relationship between a person with a question and a source of information is complex. Indexing and abstracting often fail because too much emphasis is put on the mechanics of description and too little on what ought to be represented. Research literature suggests that inappropriate representation results in failed searches a significant number of times, perhaps even in a majority of cases. Doing Things with Information seeks to rectify this unfortunate situation by emphasizing methods of modeling and constructing appropriate representations of such questions and documents. Students in programs of information studies will find focal points for discussion about system design and refinement of existing systems. Librarians, scholars, and those who work within large document collections, whether paper or electronic, will find insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the access systems they use.

...