OpenDNA: Art and Philosophy

Develop your questions by exploring art, philosophy, science, literature, music, etc. Feed your curiosity, and you will find new possibilities.

Let’s discover the wonders of these worlds.

Note: Art and philosophy contents are available with the initial release. Other contents (science, literature, music, etc.) are to be added.

Features:
• Five minutes per lesson
• Created, curated and supervised by experts in each field
• Offers lessons in various genres/areas
• Thought-provoking questions that stimulate other interesting questions
• Provided in English and Japanese


Courses:

• Light and Shade in Visual Arts
How are light and shade depicted in paintings? What effects do light and shade have on the paintings? Explore these questions through works of art.

• Happiness in Western Philosophy
What is happiness? How can we be happy? Let’s think with the philosophers from ancient Greece to the 20th century.

Note: The following contents are to be added after the initial release.

• How to Look at Japanese Art
When looking at Japanese art, we need different perspectives from the ones used to appreciate art in the West or other regions. Get familiar with how to see Japanese art by learning these distinct perceptions of nature, Buddhism, literature and so on.

• The Chinese Characters and East Asian Philosophy
Let’s explore the Chinese characters, which have been widely used around the world, by reading the myths of their origins and other related texts.

• Nature and Sensibility in Haiku
Haiku are said to be the shortest poems in the world, capturing joy or the changing of the seasons or brief instances of daily lives. Enjoy reading and listening to this special form of literature and feel the Japanese culture and aesthetics.

• Looking into Nature with Science
What determines the color of the sky? Let’s explore the interesting mysteries of nature. Uncovering nature’s secrets can bring further questions and deeper wonder.

• Seeking the Charms of Music
Let’s explore why diverse pieces of music including Ravel’s “Boléro” and various “Arabesque(s)” move us by listening to them while getting to know the cultures, histories, societies and composers’ perspectives behind them.