Week 4: Neuroscience + Art

Neuroscience and art depend on each other. Without the mind, we cannot design or even identify what is art. They both benefit each other in different way. As insane as it sounds, the brain creates art, while art enthralls the brain. Through neuroscience, the brain is broken down and we see how it enable humans to do are meant to.

Beginning of Brains

Carl Jung, for example while trying to investigate the brain, thought that religion was important because it is a place of safety for an individual as he or she begins to process their individuality. I utmost agree with Jung but this seemed like a pivotal point because as he slowly progresses from religion, he is able to stem off to other material/subjects. Another interesting thing is that as Jung started to dissect psychology of "modern man" vs "medieval man" and while he is at it, he degrades all actions of the modern man even though, he, himself is guilty of being a modern man. It is weird to explain a sort of phenomenon of yourself while exploring neuroscience.

In TED conference, Christopher deCharms talks about MRI that shows brain activity during thoughts, emotions, and pain. I think this is important relating to art because those three are what creates art while art conveys these three by stimulating the brain.

Brain Activity

The last unusual thing I picked up is that the effects of cocaine and LSD may lead to creativity and perhaps even art. Vesna described in lecture that cocaine was to relieve depression and fatigue but the effects made the person go into a whole different world. She also went on to talk about LSD and how Hoffman experiment made him relieved went he slowly returned to reality. Hoffman referred to the effects of LSD as altered perceptions which is normal to see in art today.

Dr. Hofmann, Date Unknown, with a chemical model of LSD

David Deutsch of Ted Conferences, talk about another way to explain explanation. His lecture really reminded me of my philosophy class. He identifies with Karl Popper's theory of knowledgable. He asserts "The truth consists of hard-to-vary assertions about reality is the most important fact about the physical world. It is a fact that is unseen, yet impossible to vary". This does really remind me of the idea of induction and that not everything can be guaranteed and that what we call real life, reality but what happens when reality is not entirely true?

Sources

1. Christopher, DeCharms. "A Look inside the Brain in Real Time." TED. TED Conferences, Feb. 2008. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://www.ted.com/talks/christopher_decharms_scans_the_brain_in_real_time?language=en>

2. Deutsch, David. "A New Way to Explain Explanation." Ted. TED Conferences, July 2009. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain_explanation#t-952741>.
4. Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience-pt2.mov." YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 17 May 2012. Web. 17 July 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=310&v=TFv4owX3MZo>.5. Vesna, Victoria. "Neuroscience Pt3." YouTube. Uconlineprogram, 16 May 2012. Web. 17 July 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=930&v=E5EX75xoBJ0>.

3. Jung, Carl. "The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man." UCLA, n.d. Web. 17 July 2016. <file:///Users/Lilia/Downloads/50653831-C-G-Jung-The-Spiritual-Problem-of-Modern-Man-1928.pdf>.

Images:

1. Bruno, Marie-Aurelie, and Steven Laureys. Brain Activation. Digital image.DANA Foundation. The Dana Foundation, 14 June 2010. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://dana.org/Cerebrum/2010/Uncovering_Awareness__Medical_and_Ethical_Challenges_in_Diagnosing_and_Treating_the_Minimally_Conscious_State/>.

2. Gall, Franz. Gall's view of Human Brain. Digital image. History of Neuroscience. WordPress.com, n.d. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://historyofneuroscience.umwblogs.org/history-of-neuroscience/the-beginnings-of-brain-localization-franz-joseph-gall-and-phrenology/>.

3. Smith, Craig S. Dr. Hofmann, Date Unknown, with a Chemical Model of LSD. Digital image. New York Times. The New York Times, 30 Apr. 2008. Web. 17 July 2016. <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/30/world/europe/30hofmann.html?_r=0>.