Week 7 | Neuroscience + Art
Neuroscience is so engrained in our society that we—myself included—fail to notice its’ impact on our everyday lives. This week we took a closer look at this connection. Left (analytical) and right (creative) brain argument We begin with a bit of history. Phrenology is a pseudoscience, in which the size of bumps on the head is believed to indicate character traits. (Vesna) Franz Joseph Gall’s practice of phrenology led to the notion that brain size is related to intelligence. Despite being a pseudoscience, it did influence science in that specific areas of the brain do have specific functions (i.e. Broca's and Wernicke’s areas). Phrenology allows us to revisit the left brain versus right brain argument. Regarded as fiction by many neuroscientists, this idea of the brain reinforces the division between art and science by providing an explanation for the stereotypes of artists and scientists. Adult coloring book, which recently gained popularity T...