Lydia Chapman - Homework 1

Arrow of Time -

In Carroll's Arrow of Time lecture, it is argued that time and its passage is how we can directly relate to the creation of the universe even in this day and age. Time is represented in either repetition or change, when not using the human-made concept developed early in civilization, and is seen amongst the entirety of the universe down to the pendulum swing of a clock here on Earth. The repetitive movement of the sun rotating on its axis and revolving around the sun relates itself to the vibrations of a quartz crystal in that these predictable movements will continue, and has subsequently been used as accurate representations of time passing. On the other hand, change, is something that happens but will never happen or revert back again. We see change as we grow older, from an infant to a senior, and as the universe expands, it will cease to return to its original condensed form. Change goes hand-in-hand with the concept of entropy, where objects will revert into a more chaotic state as time passes, as a form of change. But no matter what, time will never cause these items to return to an orderly fashion. Such as when you drop an egg and it shatters, no amount of time or even assistance will return the egg to its original state. Entropy applies to the aforementioned expansion of the universe: as time passes, it reverts into a more chaotic state and will never return to its super condensed form.

The Quick and the Dead -

Christine Kozlov's piece, Information: No Theory, is a simple black audio recorder that perpetually records the sounds going on in the gallery. However, it never plays back anything that is recorded, and continues to record and inevitably does so over what has already been documented. This piece continually stores the words and sounds of those that pass through the gallery, day by day, and is a good indicator of time in the inevitable fluctuations of the number of people passing through, as well as all the subsequent sounds that accompany people's presence. However, no one ever hears what has been recorded, and though teased by the presence of the recorder, no one will ever know what went on with previous museum-goers' presences. This almost seems like an allegory of decomposition or death of someone rather unimportant. Their life and presence is recorded throughout life, but inevitably disappears to make room for others that live once they pass.