The Music of the Spheres: Music, Science and the Natural Order of the Universe

James, Jamie; Williamson, Robert M.

doi:10.1119/1.18443

Cited by 18 publications

(15 citation statements)

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“…In the ancient and mediaeval worlds, East and West, music or sound was conceived as a primal source of the phenomenal world. Pythagoras and Plato formulated the Occidental theory of cosmic music, the relations between music intervals and numbers, the character of scales, the 'harmony of the spheres' and their influence on nature and society [33]. Scholars in ancient China created a complex system of relations between social phenomena, elements of the calendar and relations between tones.…”

Section: (B) Statistical Universalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-cultural perspectives on music and musicality

Trehub

Becker

Morley

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

163

111

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One contribution of 12 to a theme issue 'Biology, cognition and origins of musicality'. Musical behaviours are universal across human populations and, at the same time, highly diverse in their structures, roles and cultural interpretations. Although laboratory studies of isolated listeners and music-makers have yielded important insights into sensorimotor and cognitive skills and their neural underpinnings, they have revealed little about the broader significance of music for individuals, peer groups and communities. This review presents a sampling of musical forms and coordinated musical activity across cultures, with the aim of highlighting key similarities and differences. The focus is on scholarly and everyday ideas about music-what it is and where it originates-as well the antiquity of music and the contribution of musical behaviour to ritual activity, social organization, caregiving and group cohesion. Synchronous arousal, action synchrony and imitative behaviours are among the means by which music facilitates social bonding. The commonalities and differences in musical forms and functions across cultures suggest new directions for ethnomusicology, music cognition and neuroscience, and a pivot away from the predominant scientific focus on instrumental music in the Western European tradition.

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Section: (B) Statistical Universalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cross-cultural perspectives on music and musicality

Trehub

Becker

Morley

2015

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

163

111

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“…Commonly, the concept of capitalism refers to an economic system in which the means of production are primarily privately owned and operated for profit, with the investment of money or capital also determined privately, and decisions regarding the production, distribution and prices of goods, services and labor influenced the laws such as the law of supply and demand. As mechanists refer to the behavior of the natural world in harmony [i.e., reminiscent of the music of the spheres in physics (James, 1993)] with immutable natural laws, capitalists point to "the natural harmony of the rational self-interests of all men under capitalism -of businessmen and wage earners, of consumers and producers, of men of all races and of the competition of all levels. "…”

Section: Economics and The Machinementioning

confidence: 99%

Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Part III: Windows on Society

Baillie

Catalano

2009

Synthesis Lectures on Engineers, Technology and Society

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Engineers work in an increasingly complex entanglement of ideas, people, cultures, technology, systems and environments. Today, decisions made by engineers often have serious implications for not only their clients but for society as a whole and the natural world. Such decisions may potentially influence cultures, ways of living, as well as alter ecosystems which are in delicate balance. In order to make appropriate decisions and to co-create ideas and innovations within and among the complex networks of communities which currently exist and are be shaped by our decisions, we need to regain our place as professionals, to realise the significance of our work and to take responsibility in a much deeper sense. Engineers must develop the 'ability to respond' to emerging needs of all people, across all cultures.To do this requires insights and knowledge which are at present largely within the domain of the social and political sciences but which needs to be shared with our students in ways which are meaningful and relevant to engineering. This book attempts to do just that. In Part 1 Baillie introduces ideas associated with the ways in which engineers relate to the communities in which they work. Drawing on scholarship from science and technology studies, globalisation and development studies, as well as work in science communication and dialogue, this introductory text sets the scene for an engineering community which engages with the public. In Part 2 Catalano frames the thinking processes necessary to create ethical and just decisions in engineering, to understand the implications of our current decision making processes and think about ways in which we might adapt these to become more socially just in the future. In Part 3 Baillie and Catalano have provided case studies of everyday issues such as water, garbage and alarm clocks, to help us consider how we might see through the lenses of our new knowledge from Parts 1 and 2 and apply this to our every day existence as engineers.

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“…The notion that the natural environment, indeed, the entire universe, carries meanings that are articulated, in part, through sound, is familiar from the ancient idea of the music of the spheres (James, 1995;Treitler, 1998: 102f.). The harmony of the spheres was understood as an expression of the numerical ratios of a 'world-soul,' yielding mathematical principles with implications for astronomy, metaphysics, and music, and, according to some, sounding the universe.…”

Section: Soundscapes: From Music Of the Spheres To Ambient Environmentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sounding the Media

Jensen¹

2006

Nordicom Review

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Sound remains significantly underresearched as a form of communication, as a modality of experience, and as a resource for cultural expression and social action. This article provides an overview of the several disciplinary and interdisciplinary sources of contemporary sound studies. As a point of departure, the article identifies and contextualizes three prototypes of sound - speech, music, and environmental soundscapes - with reference to previous work in linguistics, musicology, history, and other fields of study. A wide range of contributions are reviewed with particular reference to their explanatory value concerning different types of sound media. The article distinguishes between three degrees of media, enabling communication in the flesh, mechanically or electronically reproduced communication, and digitally mediated communication. In each case, sound can serve as a vehicle of information, as a mode of communication, and as a means of action. The article outlines a conceptual matrix, integrating the sound prototypes, the media forms, as well as the social uses of sound, with a view to further research. Finally, some specific issues on the agenda of current sound studies are discussed.

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The Music of the Spheres: Music, Science and the Natural Order of the Universe

Cited by 18 publications

References 0 publications

Cross-cultural perspectives on music and musicality

Cross-cultural perspectives on music and musicality

Engineering and Society: Working Towards Social Justice, Part III: Windows on Society

Sounding the Media

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