Guest Editor
Christine Ji, University of Sydney, Australia

Scope
This special section of Leonardo welcomes submissions that explore empirical translation as a method or approach in different disciplines of the arts and/or sciences and how empirical translation in search of patterns, norms and laws relates to creativity in arts and innovation in sciences.

Translation is both an art and science, and the rise of natural language processing and data science has enabled the development of a range of innovative translation technologies from healthcare and disability support to global travel, mass entertainment, international sports events and multilingual social media. Technological advances in translation have sustained global language and cultural diversity and helped preserve our contemporary ecosystems and our cultural identities. Translation of art seeks to give meaning and life to the original art when translated to and reproduced in distinct target social, cultural and language systems. The sciences entail repeated “translations” of the core set of natural principles and laws in different physical and natural environments at vast spatial and temporal scales.

Translatability of arts mirrors the concepts of replicability and reproducibility in sciences; that is, the core set of artistic values, aesthetics can be interpreted and appreciated by different cultural, language and social groups living in different historical periods and geographic locations. That is to say, the development of human societies and knowledges, either in the artistic or the scientific spheres, entail repeated ‘translation’ exercises in search of truth (science) and beauty (art). In translation, a fundamental empirical activity, art and science form a synthesis—the “theory of knowledge” that Leonardo da Vinci championed.

Manuscript Submissions
We seek Leonardo manuscript submissions of up to 3,500 words. For detailed instructions for manuscript and art preparation, visit Information for Journal Authors. To submit a completed manuscript, upload at Editorial Express.

You are welcome to contact the editor (christine.ji@sydney.edu.au) to discuss your paper before submission.