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A 6 in diameter block of aged cherry with white patters around the flat top of the base. There are white rings, diamonds patterns, and decorative paisley shapes. Atop the wooden base, there are 7 gears in a circle around the centre. The largest gear is in the centre, and atop that gear is a bronze head. The central gear when rotated spins the surrounding 6 gears which have bronze pointing hands atop them. The cherry wood is warm, reddish, and dark. It contrasts almost aggressively with the white detailing. The bronze is warm and shiny, with liver of sulphur patina darkening the low spots, providing definition to the gears and organic pieces. It looks like an antique toy or music box.

The Paradox of Increasing Intellect: The Decision Making Machine

Oliver St Cyr

Cast Bronze, Aged Cherry Wood, Epoxy accents.

Undergraduate
The more intelligent a mind becomes, the less action it engages the body in, due to its increasing ability to consider multitudes of possibilities. You spend more time thinking, less time doing, and decisions become increasingly more difficult to make due to your consideration of every nuance. With more knowledge, you see more possibilities, and this is overwhelming. This machine is intended to make decisions for you. The central head is the means by which you engage the device, which rotates the surrounding gears, and the hands spin at different speeds. You are invited to place cards or write on paper around the machine all the options you are presently grappling with, and the machine will choose for you. However, you may find that the machine seldom chooses one option. You spin the head, and the machine considers the options for you. But will you get stuck spinning the head, repeatedly, hoping to find the perfect and singular choice, or will you manage to simply pick one yourself and take action? The paradox of increasing intellect, distilled and presented in a beautiful, sculptural machine.