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Vanuit Die Restory - Gesprekke Tussen Reisgenote (222)

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Kunsmatige Intelligensie

Wat Sal Ek Mis As Menslikheid Sou Vervaag



Die Gesprek




Elemente Uit Die Gesprek







Kreatiewe Stuk

Vanaf hierdie week se bloginskrywing bring ons 'n nuwe faset by - iets kreatiefs in watter vorm ook al, wat sonder woorde uitdrukking aan die tema gee.

Hierdie week is dit die bekende skildery van Joseph Turner, "The Fighting Temeraire" (1838).





’n Ou, glorieryke hout-oorlogskip (die Temeraire, wat nog in die Slag van Trafalgar geveg het) word teen ’n sonsondergang weggesleep deur ’n klein, swart, rokende stoom-sleepboot om opgebreek te word.

Dit is seker die beroemdste visuele metafoor vir die oorgang van die ou, handgemaakte, windgedrewe wêreld na die koue, doeltreffende masjien-era. Die stoomboot gee nie om vir die geskiedenis of die skoonheid van die houtskip nie; dit is bloot doeltreffend.

Die woord Temeraire beteken letterlik "die een wat dit waag" of "die onverskrokke een" (van die Franse téméraire). En die skip het haar naam herhaaldelik eer aangedoen; in die Slag van Trafalgar het sy herhaaldelik in die hewigste gevegte ingevaar om ander skepe te red. Sy was die toppunt van menslike dapperheid, hout-vakmanskap en die kuns om die wind te benut.

Maar in Turner se skildery is daar niks meer "veglustig" of "onverskrokke" aan haar nie. Die groot, magtige oorlogskip wat eens die lot van nasies bepaal het, is nou heeltemal magteloos. Sy kan nie eens op haar eie stoom (of wind) beweeg nie. Sy word soos ’n gedwonge gevangene na haar eie teregstelling gesleep deur ’n masjien wat skaars ’n fraksie van haar grootte is. Die ridderskap van die ou dae is verby. Die nuwe wêreld veg met koue, meganiese doeltreffendheid. Die swart stoomboot veg nie teen die golwe of die vyand nie; dit ignoreer bloot die wind en die stroom deur brute, berekende krag.

Turner het daardie ironie meesterlik met sy lig gevang. Die trotse ou skip lyk amper soos ’n spook – wit, lig en deursigtig, reeds halfpad deel van die geesteswêreld – terwyl die klein swart sleepboot donker, solied en onsimpatiek die nuwe era inbreek.

Musiek

Vir die onvolmaakte, gebroke menslike - wie anders as onse Leonard?




Met ons liefde.


George & Matilda



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