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Brainland
YOUR BRAIN ON RELIGION: Exploring the neuroscience of religious experience.
Season 1, Ep. 29
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In this podcast, after outlining some of the positive and negative of religious behaviour, Patrick discusses the key areas currently being studied in order to better understand the cognitive neuroscience of religion. These include REM sleep, the effects of psychedelic substances and the default mode network. ‘Decentering’, a key aspect of his team’s approach to the subject is explained along with the possible involvement of predictive processing. He discusses why he believes religion to be a ‘transformational technology’ and the impact of brain pathology on religiosity.
Participants:
Patrick McNamara, Professor, Department of Psychology, National University
Associate Professor of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, President Emeritus, Center for Mind and Culture, Boston MA. cognitiveneuroscienceofreligion.org
Ken Barrett, artist, writer and retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/
Patrick's recent books mentioned in the podcast: The cognitive neurosciecne of religious experience: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cognitive-Neuroscience-Religious-Experience-Decentering/dp/1108977898/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27ANJMOV7L933&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VfizW2OdtY7ieLd7pOKo2MsVsdjfAQTK6opPXGdf80lTCzNQKZ1ObrMeL7XUel1JRw0jAan9OeTAELpC2UFtOluJui4pquuCKfZfOVZzJdbmIW9rw4503Yy4XVGCwVSYUYBuEKezhtlXB3djLhCYMsp94nYlBSI9_1RU8pWveD7XD8qDRgTpGD6tgJVo1TmznLPDSne12UJuNWb3h19EVHe28tsSZTqw3vT-pvs33T8.eJK3qrKjpLs8mbY4-EtyCVqhO_rs6tG87YrQrNrd2mg&dib_tag=se&keywords=patrick+mcnamara&qid=1719523857&sprefix=patrick+mcnamara%2Caps%2C90&sr=8-1
Religion, neuroscience and the self: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Religion-Neuroscience-Self-Personalism-Neurotheology/dp/1032176008/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_1_1/262-6697966-8243913?pd_rd_w=5GUcv&content-id=amzn1.sym.ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_rd_p=ad51136c-8d04-4e54-9ec5-18cad2a65d61&pf_rd_r=T5QPQF9409B9KZ0G4YKF&pd_rd_wg=jlX6N&pd_rd_r=3b50c7d5-236d-4ad4-a876-3420dcd9d712&pd_rd_i=1032176008&psc=1
Opening music: extract from the prelude to Brainland by Stephen Brown.
Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.uk
Sketch by KB.
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37. SCREEN TIME 2: Sci-fi cinema's art of memory.
35:13||Season 1, Ep. 37This is part 2 of the conversation with Russell Kilbourn on memory and movies. In part 1 we talked about the way memory is treated in literature and movies but we didn't have time to discuss memory in sci-fi movies so Russ agreed to return. In this podcast we discuss the varying treatment of memory in the genre. Eg: removing memories (Total Recall, Severance and particularly Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind); inserting false memories (Blade Runner); repurposing memories (Strange Days, and particularly Solaris and La Jetee). La Jetée led to an interesting discussion about the strange and interesting Canadian film My Winnipeg. We close by returning to literature, in the science fiction genre.Participants:Russell J Kilbourn is Professor of Literature and Film, Dept of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. http://rjakilbourn.com/Ken Barrett, visual artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist.http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Sci fi movies discussed (Russ's 'must sees' in bold):Blade Runner (Ridley Scott, 1982) and BR 2049 (Denis Villeneuve, 2017)Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)La Jetée (Chris Marker, 1962)Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)Oblivion (Joseph Kosinski, 2013)2046 (Kar-wai Wong, 2004) (lost memories)After Life (Hirokazu Koreeda, 1998)Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002)Source Code (Duncan Jones, 2011)Strange Days (Kathryn Bigelow, 1995)Total Recall (Paul Verhoeven, 1990)Upstream Color (Shane Carruth, 2013)Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukFollow us us on Instagram: #brainlandcollectiveSketch by KB.
36. WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?: Memory, the brain and our sense of self.
50:04||Season 1, Ep. 36In this podcast Veronica O'Keane and Ken Barrett share cases and discuss some of the themes explored in Veronica's book 'A Sense of Self'. We explore the various structures in the brain essential for memory to function, talk about the importance of place to memory (we often remember where we where if not when) and recent findings on how our brain does that, the role of the frontal lobes and the hidden area of cortext called the insula, before with interesting detours into nostalgia and memory in the work of Irish writer Samuel Beckett.Veronica O' Keane, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, Tallaght Hospital, Dublin.Ken Barrett, artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist.http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Veronica's book 'A Sense of Self: Memory, the brain and who we are': https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324021834Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen Brown.Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukFollow us us on Instagram: @brainlandcollectiveSketch by KB.
35. OBJECT WITH SOUL: The strange power of puppetry in healthcare
58:09||Season 1, Ep. 35In this podcast puppeteer and academic Cariad Astles talks about how she got interested and trained in puppetry, before discussing her experience of puppetry in China and Africa. We explore why puppetry tends to be viewed as a practice for children in the UK (Cariad blames protestantism) before talking about a number of healthcare applications of puppetry including training medical students and nurses, in psychotherapy (citing an especially powerful project in Chile), health education including promoting empathy, in dementia and autism. Cariad concludes by speculating on how robotics and AI may impact puppetry and its applications in the future and shares her hope that its' value should be more widely recognised in the west, not least in ritual.Participants:Cariad Astles, Lecturer at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and at Exeter University. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cariad-AstlesKen Barrett, artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist.http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Cariad's paper 'the Art of Puppetry Practice: Embodiment, Enchantment, Memory History' can be downloaded here: https://www.academia.edu/83808501/Puppetry_The_Art_of_Puppetry_Practice_Embodiment_Enchantment_Memory_HistoryOpening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen BrownBrainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukFollow us us on Instagram: @brainlandcollectiveSketch by KB.
34. SCREEN TIME: Cinema's art of memory
01:00:00||Season 1, Ep. 34In this conversation we talk about the earliest representations of memory in classical, latin, literature (the original 'art of memory') then move, via St Augustine, to Proust and his madeleine. Russell describes how the representaion of memory, the 'flash back', appeared in the first years of film-making but identifies the real innovations in Casablanca (1942) and Citizen Kane (1941). We move on to what made Fellini and Bergan masters in the use of memory before coming up to date with last year's excellent 'All of Us Strangers' . We end with an extended discussion of the ethics of memory in film, in particular the way the Holocaust has been depicted, and give the views of Goddard and Deleuze an airing.Participants:Russell J Kilbourn is Professor in the Dept of English and Film Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, Ontario, Canada. http://rjakilbourn.com/Ken Barrett is an artist, writer and former neuropsychiatristhttp://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Some of the films discussed:Curtiz - Casablanca: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0034583/videogallery/Wells - Citzen Kane: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0033467/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_5_nm_3_in_0_q_citizen%2520Bergman - Wild Strawberries: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050986/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0_tt_8_nm_0_in_0_q_wild%2520strawberiesFellini - 8 1/2: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056801/Haigh - 'All of Us Strangers': https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21192142/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen BrownBrainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukSketch by KB.
33. MOOD MUSIC: Could Shostakovich change your mind?
54:01||Season 1, Ep. 33In this extended podcast Stephen Johnson shares his experience of the healing effects of Shostakovich’s music during dark periods in his life, both as a youth and later when coping with depression. He recalls his often solitary teenage years, when his passion for the music of Shostakovich took root, fueled by a prodigious ability to recall music, and text. He goes on to discuss the composer’s life, music and unlikely survival during the Stalin purges. Stephen also describes interviewing people who knew the composer, for a BBC documentary, including a member of the orchestra during the famous performance of his 7th symphony during the Leningrad siege. We conclude with an in depth discussion of the specific therapeutic effects of music. Participants. Stephen Johnson, Broadcaster, writer and composer https://www.stephen-johnson.co.uk/ Andy Platman, writer and former GP. Ken Barrett, artist, writer and former neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Stephen’s documentary on Shostakovitch: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/b007g7hp His book: https://www.stephen-johnson.co.uk/publications/how-shostakovich-changed-my-mind/Opening and closing music: Prelude to Brainland the opera by Stephen BrownBrainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukSketch by KB.
32. THE VITAL SPARK: The Evolution of Imagination.
48:01||Season 1, Ep. 32In this conversation we discuss Stephen's ideas about the evolution of imagination and improvisation. After defining terms Stephen's talks about his idea of the 'second universe', the link between dreams and storytelling and his view that drawing, dance and gesture preceded language in evolution. We talk about the difference between 'hot' and 'cold' cognition and explore the necessary conditions for improvisation then end with a discussion of cultural differences in the importance attached to improvisation, contrasting particularly the USA and China.Participants:Stephen Asma, Professor of Philosophy, Columbia College, Chicago, USA. www.stephenasma.comKen Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Stephen's Book, The Evol;ution of Imagination': https://www.amazon.com/Evolution-Imagination-Stephen-T-Asma-ebook/dp/B06WWJC8JX/?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=p7r7l&content-id=amzn1.sym.f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&pf_rd_p=f911c8db-3a2b-4b3e-952f-b80fdcee83f4&pf_rd_r=131-8110503-3306616&pd_rd_wg=A284i&pd_rd_r=b4eef1a3-7076-4640-9f69-d105cfccb0e7&ref_=aufs_ap_sc_dskStephen's podcast, “Chinwag”, cohosted with Paul Giamattihttps://www.treefort.fm/series/chinwagOpening and closing music: 'Improvisation for Brainland' by Stephen Asma.Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukSketch by KB.
31. THE VITAL SPARK: The Creative Brain.
59:05||Season 1, Ep. 31In this wide ranging conversation Anna outlines the particular difficulties involved in researching the psychology and neuroscience of creativity. We talk about the popular idea that the right hemisphere is the creative brain (it isn't), links between mental health and psychedelics to creativity, and the possible contribution of the default mode network. We also discuss the special quality of creativity in the context of humour. In an afterword we talk about some of the problems involved in research that engages the popular press, bypassing peer review, but also the 'status bias' that can colour even peer review.Participants:Anna Abraham PhD, E. Paul Torrance Professor, Department of Educational Psychology, Director, Torrance Center for Creativity and Talent Development, Mary Frances Early College of Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. http://www.anna-abraham.com/Ken Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Anna's Books: The Creative Brain: Myths and Truths: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262548007/the-creative-brain/The Neuroscience of Creativity: http://www.anna-abraham.com/book-the-neuroscience-of-creativity-2018.htmlOpening music: Prelude to Brainland Act 1, composed by Stephen Brown.Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukSketch by KB.
30. OBJECTS WITH SOUL: The strange power of puppets in opera.
49:40||Season 1, Ep. 30In this podcast Hayley talks us through the early history of puppets in opera, including the eighteenth century fashion for opera composed specifically for puppets. She goes on to describe the conclusions reached in her doctoral research, applying musicological thinking to marionette operas in our era, conclusions she considers applicable more widely to cinema and animation. These include her theory 'performance networks and poetic synchronicity. She talks about her experience of various performances and her conviction that the movement of puppets, expertly 'played', are inherently musical. Participants:Hayley Burton Richards, musicologist, musician, educator, Head of Music, Wilson's School.Ken Barrett, artist, writer, retired neuropsychiatrist http://www.kenbarrettstudio.co.uk/Hayley"s beautifully written Harvard PhD thesi. 'Breath, Gravity and Death' can be accessed here: https://dash.lib.harvard.edu/handle/1/37372118?show=fullSome of the performances discussed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWi-7aTW_pohttps://www.kentridge.studio/projects/wozzeck/Richard Teschner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY38P-6TYQMLotte Reiniger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-TJvNBO1fwOpening music: extract from scene 2 of Brainland composed by Stephen Brown.Brainland the opera website: www.brainlandtheopera.co.ukSketch by KB.