11. Religions and science

The relationship between religion and science has taken a new turn. Relativity theory, quantum mechanics, and other new scientific devel­opments have resulted in some skepticism toward older concepts about the solidity of matter, which helped separate science from "spiritual" concepts. Some congruences exist between modern physics and Buddhist and other mystical approaches to reality, which stress the fluid and rela­tive nature of phenomena.

Moreover, optimistic belief that technological change means progress has been tempered by a realization of the natural and social environment and on individual existence. It is, perhaps, more significant than the strain put on traditional Christian, Jewish, and Islamic cosmology by astronom­ical discoveries that vastly increase the scale of the universe.

Modern methods of psychotherapy show a greater awareness of tra­ditionally religious spiritual techniques, such as meditation and yoga.

An important ingredient in the interplay between religion and secu­lar society has been the growth of studies of religion on a comparative basis. Often patterns of resemblance between the great religious have thereby been disclosed, encouraging moves to a unification of faiths through such organizations as the World Congress of Faiths.

And also it is very important how to adapt traditions that give people a sense of cultural and spiritual identity to the great changes in social existence, international relations, and scientific knowledge in today's world.

12. What is music?

`Music is an art, entertainment, or other human activity which involves organized sound, though definitions may vary.

Music is often defined by contrast with noise or speech. Some defi­nitions of music place it within a cultural context by defining music as what people accept as musical.

The music that composers make can be heard through several media. The most traditional way is to hear it live, in the presence of the musician. Live music can also be broadcast over the radio or television. Recording often uses the ability to edit and very often is considered "better' than the actual performance.

In many cultures there is less distinction between performing and listening to music, as virtually everyone is involved in some sort of musical activity. In the middle of the 20^th century, listening to music through a recorded form, such as sound recording or watching a music video became more common than experiencing live performance. Sometimes, live performances incorporate prerecorded sounds; for example, a DJ uses disc records for scratching.

People can become performers by using Karaoke, invented by the Japanese, which uses music video and tracks without voice, so the performer can add his voice to the piece of music.

As there are many definitions for music there are many divisions and groupings of music. There are many musical genres. Among the larger genres are classical music, popular music or commercial music (including rock and roll), country music and folk music. Some works, for example Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue", are claimed by both jazz and classical music.

As cultures of the world have been in more contact with each other, their indigenous music styles have often melded to form new styles. For example, the U.S. American "bluegrass" style has elements from Anglo-Irish, Scottish, Irish, German and some African-American instrumental and vocal traditions, and can only have been a product of the 20^th с. Genres of music are as often determined by tradition and presentation as by the actual music. While most classical music is acoustical in nature, and meant to be performed by individuals, many works include samples, tape, or are mechanical.

Many music festivals exist these days celebrating a particular music genre.