"Leonardo is probably history's prime example of a universal genius. The dazzling creative intellect of this accomplished humanist made him not only an outstanding artist and aesthetician, but also a philosopher, mathematician, astronomer, geologist, inventor in dynamics and ballistics, engineer, and architect. His notebooks and manuscripts are among the most important sources we have for the study of sixteenth-century learning and philosophy." Milton S. Fox, Editor

I mentioned the Mona Lisa is of relative small size during my presentation to the faculty. The actual size is 20.75 inches wide and only 30.25 inches high. The normal perception is of larger scale.

Aesthetic
By one of the ironic perversities that often attend the course of affairs, the existence of the works of art upon which formation of an esthetic theory depends has become an obstruction to theory about them. For one reason, these works are products that exist externally and physically. In common conception, the work of art is often identified with the building, book, painting, or statue in its existence apart from human experience. Since the actual work of art is what the product does with and in experience, the result is not favorable to understanding.
-- John Dewey, Art as Experience

Semiotic
The term semiotic was adapted by John Locke from the Greek Stoics, who in turn were influenced by the Greek medical tradition that interpreted diagnosis and prognosis as sign processes (often called symbols). Charles S. Peirce, who followed John Locke's usage, is responsible for the present widespread employment of the term semiotic. The terms significs and semantics are also in use, though the tendency now is to use semantics for only one branch of semiotic.
-- Charles Morris, Signification and Significance

Mythology
Mythology has been interpreted by the modern intellect as a primitive, fumbling effort to explain the world of nature (Frazer); as a production of poetical fantasy from prehistoric times, misunderstood by succeeding ages (Müller); as a repository of allegorical instructions, to shape the individual to his group (Durkheim); as a group dream, symptomatic of archetypal urges within the depths of the human psyche (Jung); as the traditional vehicle of man's profoundest metaphysical insights (Coomaraswamy); and as God's Revelation to His children (the Church). Mythology is all of these.
-- Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces

As a content provider I feel it is essential to challenge my students with these ideas and issues. Thank you for this opportunity to present my thoughts.

Michael Kroeger
MK Graphic Design