Week 7: Neuroscience and Art

I thought this weeks topic was the most interesting to date. Exploring the conscious and unconscious has peaked my interest in the work of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. Freud focused on sexuality through the unconscious while Jun believed the unconscious was a form of creativity. Jung created the idea of Archetypes and believes that everyone has an archetype from birth, which are predetermined patterns of thoughts that are programmed from birth and not learned. Vilayanur Ramachandran in his TED talk spoke about the 3 clues to understanding your brain and in doing so he displays the mind and body relationship. He explained the Capgras syndrome and how "you can no longer recognize peoples faces" (Vilayanur) and delusion, the phantom limb, and synesthesia. These 3 concepts reiterate how self-awareness is the holy grail of neuroscience and that the mind-body connection depict human actions and functions. Franz Joseph Gall originated phrenology, which was a model that was used to decipher mental functions and how certain characteristics were regionalized in specific parts of the brain.

Carl Jung

Sigmund Freud

Brain on LSD

This week’s topic is so important because it is relevant to us everyday considering the brain is the main organ we use every second of every day.  Our brains control every motion we make and every thought we think. The miraculous topic of neuroscience can be expressed through any artistic medium or form. Some examples of how neuroscience can be expressed is through artwork like the brainbow,  or through scientific organization, like phrenology, or even incorporating drugs like LSD and Cocaine to create a psychedelic experience. No matter how you look at neuroscience and art, they are incorporated into your life everyday.

“Carl Jung." Wikipedia. Web. 17 May. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CarlJung>.
“Sigmund Freud." Wikipedia. Web. 17 May. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund Freud>.
"Vilaynanur: 3 clues." TED. Web. 17 May. 2015. <http://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_ramachandran_on_your_mind?language=en>.
"Franz Joesph Call." Phrenology. Web. 17 May. 2015. <http://www.phrenology.com/franzjosephgall.html>.
"Five Fun Facts about the CIA and LSD." Cracked. Web. 17 May. 2015. <http://www.cracked.com/blog/five-fun-facts-about-the-cia-and-lsd/>.