Neuroscience
+ Art
I spent
some time reading psychology books when I was in high school. I understand that
the study of neuroscience helps explain the rationale of people’s action. Since to a great extent, creativity has led to
the development of art, neuroscience may also help explain where our creativity
comes from and how creativity varies among different individuals.
Sigmund
Freud, one of the most significant figures in the study of human brain, has
inspired artists in different ways. A Dangerous Method, for example, is a 2011
historical film directed by David Cronenberg. The movie describes the turbulent
relationships between Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. For people who are less
familiar with analytical psychology, this film provides concise but precise
neuroscience knowledge.
The movie 'inception'
Like what I
always said, art also influences the development of science. Another movie,
Inception, which is a story of dreams, created fascination toward the study of
dreams among audience worldwide. What I wish to bring up is the further
application of art in the field of neuroscience. The development of science
will absolutely make the application of art in neuroscience more common. We talked
about Dr. Diane Gromala last week, and her research achievements are indeed
encouraging.
BioTech +
Art
In the past
few weeks we have been discussing the relationship between art and science, and
BioTech gives art and science multiple ways to connect. Microvenus brings me to
the idea of molecular artwork. Scientists such as Joe Davis, who embedded artwork
in a bacterial genome, successfully expressed their artistic work in the form
of biotechnology.
In the
field of biotech, art still serves the function of spreading ideology. In the
site embracing animal, movies are there to raise awareness of the current
status of rats. Artistic skills can be used to make a presentation more
convincing and hence theories can be more easily spread and accepted.
Interesting
questions from Ruth West
From the various
interesting questions by Ruth West, there are two questions in particular that I
wish to discuss.
Is life
itself a valid expressive medium?
It was
written in the article Expressive Lives that ‘culture roots us in our past and
enables us to imagine and create the future.’ I agree with such a statement as using
our life to demonstrate our creativity is far more direct and clearer than
using other medium. Our creativity may appear at any time, and our body, behavior
and emotion would be the only medium that is always available to us.
Is there a
limit for human creativity?
This is a
question that can be discussed from both the art and science prospect. Science
can analyze this issue in a scientific way, including estimating the potential
of the human brain. I am not sure how an artist would answer this question, but
his or her response would definitely be different from a scientific one. Now
let me offer my personal response: no. such an answer comes from my personal
reflection. In 2005 I bought my first iphone and thought such thing already
could not be further improved. Now I am holding an iphone5. It is human
creativity that always pushes us forward.
Citations:
A Dangerous Method, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dangerous_Method
Inception, http://veja.abril.com.br/blog/ricardo-setti/files/2012/03/a-origem.jpg
John Davis: Genetics and Culture, http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_joe.htm
Microvenus: Joe Davis: Genetics and Culture, http://www.viewingspace.com/genetics_culture/pages_genetics_culture/gc_w03/davis_microvenus.htm
embracing animal: rats' status report, http://www.embracinganimal.com/status.html
Samuel Jones, Expressive lives, http://www.demos.co.uk/files/ExpressiveLives_web_ii.pdf
The transparent room, Spruth Magers Berlin London, http://www.spruethmagers.com/artists/robert_therrien@@viewq0
Apple iphone 5 review, http://www.phonearena.com/reviews/Apple-iPhone-5-Review_id3133/page/4
Hi Weihang:
ReplyDeleteGood job. A concise and compact response. I guess my only critique would be on the very end, where you used the iPhone products as an example of human creativity. Although I do agree that the iOS ecosystem had provided us with a lot of innovative electronic products, Apple had not been as creative as they had been a couple years ago. I would argue that their creativity has become somewhat limited after generation and generation of product evolution: there's simply very few areas they could improve on.
In general, it would be maybe more interesting if you could discuss creativity in a broader way, instead of only using the iPhone as an example.
Thanks!
Tianixngyan "Roy" Zou
Hi Weihang,
ReplyDeleteYour comment about the transparent room modeling the inhabitant as a piece of art made me consider the difference between performance art pieces of people practicing every-day acts for audiences to contemplate monotony and similar tasks necessary of life versus the extraordinary acts such as skydiving, free-running, etc. - the spectrum of what entertains us and is appreciable and given value spans across almost everything, which is an important concept of human psychology for us to consider indeed.
It also reminded me of this: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/one-way-glass-toilet.shtml The one-way glass reverses our previous discussion of small-scale exhibits and puts the whole world on display, a world of participants that may not acting as they would if they knew they were being exhibited. I'm sure there's a level of intrigue behind this isolated-viewing for many people, which is also an interesting feature of human thought.