Week 7: Neuroscience and Art

The topic of neuroscience is key to our present day because we are in the month of May, which is the month of mental health awareness.  The concept of the brain being the thought process of the body and that the brain can affect the body through the nervous system is common, especially among young adults.  Even the idea of phrenology that is present in lecture one not too far off when it comes to how the brain has certain functions, and those functions control parts of the body. (Vesna)  The images taken from MRI are not being used to help those with mental health conditions.

              Christopher deCharms is a neuroscientist who is bringing about a new science that will allow people to train their brain to endure pains and to see into one’s own mind to know what happens when he/she feels pain. (Ted Talks) This technology not only presents an avenue for art that can be collected through trial with the MRI scans, but it also give those with OCD, anxiety, or other mental illnesses the ability to see what parts of their brain are affected by their condition. From there, medicine or therapy can be applied to try to stimulate those parts of the brain and create a better life for those who are mentally ill. 

              The science of consciousness is also relevant within observations and discussions because it brings about an artistic look on thoughts and whether or not we consciously think about feelings and emotions or if they come second nature due to more of a subconscious brain activity.  The largest example of conscious thought would be the black ink splatters that are used to see personality traits.  The test uses brain activity to determine the personalities by what the person choices the ink splatters look like in their minds.  The human brain is still full of mysteries, and we can do more within neuroscience to better lives and bring awareness to brain illnesses.

Works Cited/Links

Vesna, Victoria. “Conscious / Memory (Part 1).” Lecture. 14 May 2015.

DeCharms, Christopher. "A Look inside the Brain in Real Time." Ted Talks. 1 Feb. 2008. Web. 15 May 2015.

Pinker, Steven. "The Brain: The Mystery of Consciousness." Time. Time Inc., 29 Jan. 2007. Web. 15 May 2015.

"Rorschach Inkblot Test." History of Projective Testing. Web. 15 May 2015.

"Mental Disorders." Rorschach Technique. Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders. Web. 15 May 2015.