Transformation as shape shifting

Leslie mentioned that yesterday morning (8/15/12) in E2, Christine brought up different analogies for transforming and transferring energy and talked a lot about shape-shifting. This is extremely relevant to my work with forms, where we've been talking about which analogy to use for forms. We prefer to think of energy changing forms as changing its shape, but others (e.g. Eric Brewe) like to this of it as changing its carrier, as in moving from being in a cup to being in a bowl. I don't have time to go back and find the video right now, but I did find the relevant section of the field notes, and am copying it here for future reference. It sounds like a great discussion, and I am excited to watch the video. One thing I notice from the field notes is that it sounds like they are differentiating transformation from transfer by thinking of the former as changing shape and the latter a moving from one place to another. It seems like using a carriers model would make this differentiation more difficult.

These notes were taken by Abby, Ben, and Gina. If any of you have comments on what was happening here, let me know.

Also, this clip is from a whole group discussion following small group discussions. Christine's group didn't have a microphone, but Leslie was talking to them and is pretty sure that they didn't discuss this in their small group. Christine is bringing it up for the first time here.

Field notes:

10:05am

Christine: I am wondering if there is contorted energy - energy is contorted and its based on how much resistive force is in the environment. Contorted energy is continual and cyclic.  For example, the ball and magnet - MPE is the contorted energy. {I like the idea of contorting energy} (I don't get it) {transformation and force, kind of mushed together, I think}

....

Akbar: would that contortion be a transformation then?

Christine: When you put soemting in a mold and it takes that shape over time. It's an analogy. I don't think energy is linear.

MA: do you think energy has shape then? 

Christine: no, maybe Leslie can help with an analogy. 

Dean: ...

Jessica: How is that different than elastic energy? 

C: Maybe you can help me find a different word.

MA: They did something more crazy then just transfering energy.

Christine: energy can change its shape somehow - 

Chris: type? 

SV: Shape shifters?

Christine: Yes!

...

10:11 A: I like what you're saying. I'm just trying to figure out how that would be different in meaning. Like we're trying to put on transformed. When I think of transformed I'm thining of energy and I'm thinking of... I see it in that same way. I'm just trying to equate, why was there a need to use a different term out side of transformed.

Christine: when I think of transfer I think of being from one object to another and transform being in one object.

Leanna: We could have a steel bb above the earth and the environment coudl give it it's energy.

Christine: it's like the contorted energy is what starts it.