Thursday, May 14, 2015

Unit 7: Neuroscience + Art

Despite all of scientific advancement and discoveries, the brain is still a mysterious thing. From consciousness to dreams, to decision making and memories, the brain can do so much. It controls our body, it processes our surrounding. No matter how powerful computers get, there are so many things that the brain can do that computers can't.
Is computer faster than the human brain?
Computers can calculate large sum, store lots and lots of information and do so much. Yet it some ways the brain is still superior. We can instinctively learn, we think and create. Art is a great example of the brain's capability.Abstract art does not reflect reality but exemplifies our perception of reality through shapes, forms and textures. Computers have no way to express perception. 

Picasso is a famous abstract artist. 

Most interestingly the brain can be forced to perceive the world in different ways. As mentioned in lecture, LSD, hallucinogens and drugs can mess with our minds. They affect our brains by effecting the way neurons are sent, received and processed. We are able to experience an alternate reality. It is amazing what our brain can do.
LSD can alter people's perception


Sources:

 Barnes, Martin. "Drugs and the Brain." - Live Well. 10 Sept. 2014. Web. 15 May 2015. "http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/drugs/Pages/Dodrugsdamagebrain.aspx".
  
 Dvorsky, George. "8 Things We Simply Don't Understand About the Human Brain." Io9. 17 July 2013. Web. 15 May 2015. "http://io9.com/8-things-we-simply-dont-understand-about-the-human-brai-949442979".

 Halliday, Ayun. "This Is Your Brain on Jazz Improvisation: The Neuroscience of Creativity." Open Culture. 8 Dec. 2014. Web. 15 May 2015. 

 Karen Weintraub, Special for USA TODAY. "Brain a 'creativity Machine,' If You Use It Right." USA Today. Gannett, 9 Nov. 2013. Web. 15 May 2015. "http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/11/09/creativity-brain-science/3457735/".

 Singa, Andrew. "This Is Your Brain on LSD? Scientists Want to Find out." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 23 Mar. 2014. Web. 15 May 2015.  "http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lsd-scientists-crowdfunding-research-on-psychedelic-drug/"
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2 comments:

  1. UnknownMay 16, 2015 at 5:20 PM

    I really like how you discussed the difference between brain and computers. This topic reminds me of a movie that I have just watched recently, Ex Machina, where artificial intelligence made by human gains consciousness, tries to escape from the controls of the owner/creator. This is a possible future where computers become more superior than human brain that will further lead to more social problems.

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  2. UnknownMay 19, 2015 at 9:56 PM

    Hi Rebecca,

    Thanks for your insight into the world of art and neuroscience. I appreciate your discussion of the human brain as a powerful computer. Have you experienced any artistic representations of the mind or brain that lend to the furthering of human knowledge? Do you believe that the use of mind altering drugs add to human understanding of the world?

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