Week Seven: Neuroscience + Art

This week's topic was on neuroscience and art. I found that the two, while seemingly unrelated, are actually greatly intertwined. 

Mr. Ramachandra explaining his mirror box.

In Vilayanur Ramachandran's TED Talk, "3 Clues to Understanding Your Brain," I learned about the significance of using technology to help patients with phantom limbs. Mr. Ramachandran used his "mirror box" to simulate neuron connections in the brain that helped alleviate pain in patients with missing limbs. He also talked about synesthesia, a condition where words and numbers have specific associated colors in some people. These people see those letters, numbers, or even sounds in color no matter where they are seen. In David Deutsch's TED Talk, "A New Way to Explain Explanation," Mr. Deutsch explored what made theories sensical throughout history. Mr. Deutsch helped me understand that there are many ways of testing and refuting statements being made. The way we understand things is fundamentally altered by what we believe is testable and what is not.

How do these TED talks relate to Professor Vesna's lectures? The biggest take away this week for me personally is that while art and science may seem unconnected, we're making discoveries about our brains that show how we display our personalities, theories, and artistic side. Because art is connected almost entirely to human expression, how our brains are wired affect how we display these thoughts and feelings. An example of this was the "Brainbow Project," which tracks neurons through via fluorescent proteins. Not only does this scientific advancement help study neural connections in the brain, but it is also a beautiful display.

This then brings me to the use of hallucinogens and other illicit substances, which affect how we perceive the world and subsequently display ourselves. I thought this part of lecture was especially interesting because I didn't know how prevalent their usage was in the past, and Albert Hoffman's discovery of LSD in 1938 greatly impacted our world. People, through hallucinations, began to life and the experiences it provides as art in themselves. It made me think, why do we put artists on such high pedestals knowing that their greatness and creativity spawned only from drug usage? Do we believe that synthesizing creativity is what results from drugs, or do drugs simply release a creative side of people that was repressed?

Deutsch, D. (Jul 2009). A New Way to Explain Explanation [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/david_deutsch_a_new_way_to_explain_explanation#t-979391.

"LSD: A Short History." DrugFreeWorld.org. Drug-Free World, 2017. Web. 20 May. 2017.

Ramachandran, V.S. (March 2007). 3 Clues to Understanding Your Brain [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind#t-1396886.

Vesna, Victoria. Neuroscience Pt. 1 https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=11226162

Vesna, Victoria. Neuroscience Pt. 2 https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=11226162

Vesna, Victoria. Neuroscience Pt. 3 https://cole2.uconline.edu/courses/684222/pages/unit-6-view?module_item_id=11226162

Pictures:

Livet et al. Digital Image. “Brainbow.” Harvard.edu. http://cbs.fas.harvard.edu/science/connectome-project/brainbow.

Conspiracy Guys. Digital Image. “Beautifully Animated Short Film of Dr. Albert Hoffman’s Discovery of LSD.” ThoseConspiracyGuys.com.  https://thoseconspiracyguys.com/beautifully-animated-short-film-of-dr-albert-hoffmans-discovery-of-lsd/.

Ramachandran, V.S. Digital Image. “3 Clues to Understanding Your Brain.” TED.com https://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind#t-1282119.