Week 7: Neuroscience + Art

 April 19, 2023

I appreciate the way last week we explored concepts related to the body and this week we explored how artists play with the separation of mind and body. When Professor Vesna taught about the historical progression of how we understand our brain, I thought it was most interesting that Aristotle thought that all thinking took place in the heart (Vesna, 2:58). As humans, we put so much emotional emphasis on the parts of our bodies. 

 [Image 1] Quote from Aristotle demonstrating early understanding.

This week made me think a lot about how explorations of consciousness relate to art, but it was also a week that was a little trickier for me to conceptualize. 

One of my favorite part's of lecture was when we learned about how the scholar Cajal referred to neurons as the mysterious butterflies of the soul (Vesna, 8:13). Cajal is a perfect example of how art and science intersect, his illustrations brought his concepts to life and he demonstrates a bridge between the two cultures perfectly.

[Image 2] Hand drawn neurons from Cajal.

The section of lecture that focused on how the two drugs LSD and cocaine relate to neuroscience and art surprised me this week! I found it interesting to explore the role that Freud played in the understanding of and use of cocaine (Vesna, 2:34). The more I learn about Freud, the more that guy freaks me out. It's interesting to learn about the impacts of drugs on psychoanalysis. Especially since this is a topic that is being explored currently in the US relating to treatments for PTSD. 

[Image 3] Sigmund Freud cartoon.

References

“Cocaine: How ‘miracle Drug’ Nearly Destroyed Sigmund Freud, William Halsted.” PBS, 17 Oct. 2011, www.pbs.org/newshour/show/cocaine-how-miracle-drug-nearly-destroyed-sigmund-freud-william-halsted.

Communications, NYU Web. “Beautiful, Surreal Drawings of the Brain by the Father of Modern Neuroscience.” NYU, 5 Mar. 2018, www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2018/march/beautiful--surreal-drawings-of-the-brain-by-the-father-of-modern.html#:~:text=%22The%20Beautiful%20Brain%22%20at%20NYU’s,benefits%20of%20modern%20medical%20imaging.

Vesna, Victoria. “Consciousness/Memory.” Canvas, 16 May 2012, https://bruinlearn.ucla.edu/courses/160989/pages/unit-7-view?module_item_id=5946342.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience PT2.” YouTube, 16 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=153&v=E5EX75xoBJ0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fbruinlearn.ucla.edu%2Fcourses%2F160989%2Fpages%2Funit-7-view%3feature=emb_logo.

Vesna, Victoria. “Neuroscience PT3.” YouTube, 16 May 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=153&v=E5EX75xoBJ0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fbruinlearn.ucla.edu%2Fcourses%2F160989%2Fpages%2Funit-7-view%3Fmodule_item_id%3D5946342&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjMsMjg2NjY&feature=emb_logo.

Image Citations

[Image 1] “Aristotle Quote.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/quote/557666. Accessed 19 May 2023.

[Image 2] Smith, Roberta. “A Deep Dive into the Brain, Hand-Drawn by the Father of Neuroscience.” The New York Times, 18 Jan. 2018, www.nytimes.com/2018/01/18/arts/design/brain-neuroscience-santiago-ramon-y-cajal-grey-gallery.html.

[Image 3] Southwick, Albert B. “Analyze This: Freud on Coke.” The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, 3 Nov. 2011, www.telegram.com/story/news/local/north/2011/11/03/analyze-this-freud-on-coke/49848385007/.