ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
*This message was transferred with a trial version of CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
Peter - that's precisely what concerns me: what we engage in is
rationalization. For instance, if the assertion that human remains
are only of meaning to the living, isn't the inference that if those
remains have no meaning to me, I have no obligation to respect them?
Which, of course, is part of what led to their cavalier treatment in
earlier times. So called primitives, such as the Egypitans were
inferior to Victorians - so, who cares? And not treating these
remains with regard to the context of when they were living beings,
seems, at least on some level, disingenuous. If its not ok to dig up
my grandfather, what about my great-grandfather, or my great-great?
I remember in Dallas a few years back, during expansion of a highway,
a graveyard was discovered. I don't remember the details, but these
were lost humans - there were no markings and no existing records to
tell us who was buried - yet there was collective agreement to rebury
the bones and create a memorial of sorts. What does that say about
the notion of no one being alive to identify with these bones?
Contemplation, as you suggest, is a powerful component of the
experience. I, for one, would not hesitate to take my two boys to see
this show - it is an unusual opportunity to talk about meaning.
Jeff Courtman
Museumscapes
On Aug 5, 2010, at 4:06 PM, Peter A Anderson wrote:
> *This message was transferred with a trial version of
> CommuniGate(tm) Pro*
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology
> Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related
> institutions.
> *****************************************************************************
>
> Jonah,
>
> Here's a rationalization of the issue of exhibiting human remains,
> for your contemplation:
>
> 1. Human remains mean nothing to the dead - only to the living.
>
> 2. If there's no-one alive who identifies themselves with a
> specific human remain, no-one can be diminished by exhibiting it.
>
> 3. The contemplation of rituals surrounding human remains is a
> powerful thought-provoking and learning experience for most people.
>
> Peter Anderson
>
> --
> 1449 Grant Street, Victoria BC V8R 1M4
> T/F 250 592 3332
> Cell 250 885 6724
>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org
> .
>
> The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-
> Soft. To learn more, visit
> http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
>
> To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
> message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
> [log in to unmask]
***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.
The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|