Abstract
The authors come together from very different disciplines – (media) art and (neuro)science – in order to create an interactive work that engages the audience in a way that takes them out of the anthropocentric point of view. With this collaborative project, the authors wish to break this “human” barrier and allow an exploration and identification of the diverse world of the animals around us. The Hox Zodiac allows the human audience to experience the shared history and potential of genetic diversity among animals. Here, the idea of the Hox gene as a binding element is introduced, and the Chinese animal zodiac and dinner table as the structure/space for discussion is employed, allowing the format to build based on the audience interaction. In neuroscience this is a principle known as the emergent property of network connections, where a simple array of neurons can give rise to complex behaviors through interactions and adaptations.
Responding to the emergent nature of the game-like environment of the ancient Book of Changes, the I Ching, and the related work of John Cage serves as base for the conceptual framework of the project. Similar to Cage’s ideas of chance and indeterminacy, this work looks to the ancient Eastern philosophies along with the scientific research, seeking the balance between rational and irrational, conscious and unconscious – in relation to our interconnectivity with the animal kingdom. This chapter describes the research process and variations that emerged with audience participation and interaction.
Recommended Reading
S.K. Brem, K. Anijar, The bioethics of fiction: the chimera in film and print. Am. J. Bioeth. 3(3), 22 (2003)
S.B. Carroll, J.B. Grenier, S.D. Weatherbee, From DNA to Diversity (Wiley-Blackwell, Malden, 2004)
F. Castro-Chavez, Defragged binary I Ching genetic code chromosomes compared to Nirenberg’s and transformed into rotating 2D circles and squares and into a 3D 100% symmetrical tetrahedron coupled to a functional one to discern start from non-start methionines through a Stella Octangula. J. Proteome. Sci. Comput. Biol. 1, 3 (2012)
D. Cooper, R.P. Lanza, Xeno: The Promise of Transplanting Animal Organs into Humans (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2000)
F. Crick, Life Itself: Its Origin and Nature (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1982)
B. Evslin, The Chimaera (Monsters of Mythology) (Chelsea House, NYC, 1988)
Y. Graba, R. Rezsohazy, Hox Genes: Methods and Protocols (Methods in Molecular Biology) (Humana Press, New York, 2013)
H.T. Greely, Defining chimeras and chimeric concerns. Am. J. Bioeth. 3(3), 17–20 (2003)
A. Huang, The Complete I Ching, 2nd edn. (Inner Traditions, Rochester, 2010)
M. Jensen, John cage, chance operations, and chaos game: cage and the “I Ching”. Musical Times 150(1907 (Summer)), 97–102 (2009)
R. Kelly, Biopoesis, Io Magazine, V 20, (ed.), Bialy, H., (Vermont Press, 1974)
K. Larson, Where the Heart Beats: John Cage, Zen Buddhism, and the Inner Life of Artists (Penguin, New York, 2013)
U.K. Le Guin, L. Tzu, Lao Tzu: Tao Te Ching : A Book About the Way and the Power of the Way (Shambala, Boston, 1998)
J. Monod, A. Wainhouse, Chance and Necessity: An Essay on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology (Vintage Books, New York, 1972)
B. Pierce, Genetics: A Conceptual Approach (WH Freeman Publishing, New York, 2013)
O. Pourquie, (ed.), Hox Genes: Current Topics in Developmental Biology, vol 85 (Academic Press, Massachussetts, USA, 2009)
M. Schönberger, The I Ching & the Genetic Code (Aurora, Santa Fe, 1992)
J.D. Watson, T.A. Baker, Molecular Biology of the Gene, 7th edn. (Benjamin Cummings, Menlo Park, 2013)
R. Wilhelm, (Translator), C.F. Baynes, (Translator), H. Wilhelm, (Preface), C.G. Jung, The I Ching, or, Book of Changes (Bollingen Series XIX) (Princeton University Press, New Jersey 1967)
S. Wu, The Definitive Book of Chinese Astrology (New Page Books, Franklin Lakes, 2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Singapore
About this entry
Cite this entry
Ramakrishnan, S., Vesna, V. (2015). Games of Chance: Explorations into Our Animal Selves. In: Nakatsu, R., Rauterberg, M., Ciancarini, P. (eds) Handbook of Digital Games and Entertainment Technologies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4560-52-8_17-1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-4560-52-8_17-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Online ISBN: 978-981-4560-52-8
eBook Packages: Springer Reference EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering