Android orchestra - art or no art?

How would you like the idea of attending a classical symphony concert, where performing humans will be replaced by robotic Droid-musicians (Let's assume for sake of argument that the sound quality will be equivalent to sound produced by classical instruments), you even can imagine orchestra stage with androids positioned as in real orchestra setting, dressed as classical performers with screens instead of faces?

I had recently this debate: Is it art or is it mere reproduction when musicians perform on paper recorded compositions? From amateur perspective I can argue that the orchestra is as good as each individual player is, perfectly using the instrument, synchronised with other players and precisely following the notes. Any individual approach will be neutralised and resulting sound is average of all instruments (of one kind). The synchronisation is maintained by conductor (pacemaker). From interactions with knowledgeable people I understand that the attributes mentioned distinguish good orchestra from bad orchestra. The good conductors have tendency to perform with good orchestras. The good conductors are usually considered the ones, who enforce pace in most effective and understandable way. Of course the public likes not only the best pacemakers, but also the best entertainers - body expressions of good conductor is important (I still remember the guy who almost felt to audience while conducting). So there is no place of individual artistic approach other than previously mentioned quality of reproduction within the orchestra with exception of soloists. What is the appeal of going to concert? You know what you are going to listen to - you have heard it most likely before. You know that there will be errors in play - deviation from composer's recorded notes (the extent of deviation depends on quality of orchestra of course), you know that there is a chance for distractions - your neighbour is sneezing, someone in hall is coughing. The chairs might cause you some discomfort and your position in auditorium actually affects the quality of sound and perception of your experience. Simply put cheap tickets will probably result in different experience than expensive ones.

A week ago or so I stumbled on the blog dealing with Audiophile understanding of music  (Read Eduard's blog). When you think about it you realize another valid point of view on music. I actually see it now when talking about the music as a art(regardless on genre classic, pop, rock..) as a 2 slightly distinctive forms. At concert you get whole package of social (people, dresses, glamour), musical (the piece on play) and performing arts (the orchestra with slightly exhibicionistic conductor..) satisfaction. The second artform represents actual musical masterpiece that you enjoy without any distractions and discomforts - in nice cozy environment most likely at home, in slippers or pijama, at the front of nice warm fireplace with good cup of tea in hand. As it appears both have music in center, but both are quite different each from another.

  It boils to some basic understanding of what the art is. There are multiple definitions of art but in focus of most of them is "creative skill" and "communication of emotion" employing creative skill. Art is something that stimulates an individual's thoughts, emotions, beliefs, or ideas through the senses. I am asking again, is the android orchestra an art form? Looking at definitions above I would say yes. There will be definitely communication of emotion, there will be process of this communication if there is an audience..... I assume Isac Assimov would agree....

West culture - What is so appealing?

 The other day I was reading the story of Spanish boy that was separated from his family at age of 14 months  to become spiritual leader in southern Indian monastery (dalai-lama-osel-hita-torres). When he reached 18th year in his life, he decided to leave monastery for Madrid where he studies film. As it seems, the isolation, spirituality and being worshipped as reincarnated Lama, didn't keep him on the path of lama but western lifestyle has attracted him more (at least for now). In my past travels and from communication with friends from all corners of the world I observed that this attraction is exhibited everywhere. What the attraction of so called "western lifestyle" is? On Wikipedia you can find few definitions, they all spin around "western culture" and "European civilisation" terms. The social norms, ethical values and rationalism, based on early Greek and Roman philosophies are believed to be the core of this culture. Creation of rational, logical system (I will not discuss in detail this topic - some other time), how to observe and describe the world created basics for philosophy and science which together represent rosetta-stone of western societies. Why do I say rosetta-stone? Removing or inhibiting  one of the principles like rosetta stone in arch, might impair or even revert the direction, where the culture is heading - asymptotic idea of freedom (absolute freedom is impossible, similar to asymptotic curves never reaching axis or ideal state). When trying to find the essence of eastern culture I would highlight some observations that I find most important in understanding of drive behind particular behaviour. Eastern social behaviour is -social - socialistic versus individualistic in western society. When thinking in terms of population sciences the society with more members (growth most likely possible due to abundance of resources in generally better local environment)  has higher chance to survive external changes than smaller society, because there is greater potential for selection of individuals with proper adaptation to new environment. Of course it is more difficult to maintain such society, where demands on sustaining lives of society members are reaching close to actual capacity of the system abilities - balancing around equilibrium. Simply put, there are limits to population growth without social unrest. Such society requires selfless mindset where individuals obey the rules and agree with the limits given (egalitarianism). In reality such society will be more of the flavor of dictature than of the free open society and practically this is true "socialistic society". In contrast smaller societies that due to harsh environmental conditions and scarce resources balancing on the edge of extinction (prehistoric Europe) rely on strength of each individual - which in turn nurtures strong individualism and less social behaviour. The good example is so called "pioneering personality" that relies only on self and trusts no one with hand close to gun. Interestingly the society consisting of individuals of second personality is more likely to be expansive, aggressive and "greedy", even first type of society has more need to expand - due to density of population, food resources etc.  In former socialistic countries - "east block", people of western culture heritage (Czecho-Slovakia, Poland, Hungary etc..) were forced to live eastern culture lifestyle for 4 decades. The situation has been proven impractical or at least in-sustainable. Simple desire to look over the fence, to posses what people on the other side of fence posses, the urge to be individual and nurture ego, aversion against the crowd, made "Socialistic experiment" short lived. This difference has also interesting twist on understanding of invention and innovation process - will be subject of some future post.