Play Book Tag discussion

[PBT note: although some sections went off in other directions, the parts of this that fit the 'cultural' tag did so very well, especially the early material on Viennese society in 1900. The author's intent of stimulating dialogue between the arts and the sciences is also discussed in terms of the historic division between the 'two cultures' of literary and scientific intellectuals, and the way that the salons of Vienna in 1900 encouraged them to mix, giving another perspective on the theme.]

If I were to rate this on my personal experience of reading it, this would probably be a 3* review due to the inclusion of rather dry 'textbook'-style sections on brain biology including very detailed explanatory chapters on the science of visual perception. I'm giving it 4 stars though, because:
- even the parts I found less enjoyable to read were well-executed, and it feels ungrateful to 'mark down' a Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist for sharing his expertise so clearly;
- I wholeheartedly agree with his aims in writing a book that integrates artistic commentary and scientific material and examines the relationship between them, even if the end result had me skim-reading some of the more technical sections;
- & I did thoroughly enjoy the sections that I'd mostly picked it up for: the culture of Vienna in 1900 and the life and work of Sigmund Freud, the writer Arthur Schnitzler, and the artists Gustav Klimt, Oskar Kokoschka, and Egon Schiele.

"The convergence in Vienna 1900 of medical science, psychology, and artistic explorations that went below the surface of the body and mind in search of hidden meaning resulted in scientific and artistic insights that altered forever the way we perceive ourselves. It uncovered our instinctual drives--our unconscious erotic and aggressive urges, our emotions--and exposed the defensive structures that hide them from view."

I forgot to mention that one throwaway line from this has been niggling away at me ever since I read it: "the Enlightenment ideas that society can be improved by reason and that rational people have a natural right to the pursuit of happiness are thought to have contributed to the Jeffersonian democracy that we enjoy today in the United States." Given that much of the book is about human irrationality and unconscious mental processes, this doesn't seem a ringing endorsement of the basis of democracy... I was reminded of this just now when I came across a book called Political Animals: How Our Stone-Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics that looks into how our irrational decision-making processes lead to bad voting decisions.

Nikki wrote: "I forgot to mention that one throwaway line from this has been niggling away at me ever since I read it: "the Enlightenment ideas that society can be improved by reason and that rational people hav..."

Interesting review and insights! I find neuroscience fascinating. If I was looking for a new career, that would be high on my list. There are so many ways that rational decision making and judgment can get hijacked, especially when interacting with other people.

Political Animals sounds really interesting too. I don't remember if Jefferson came up with "all men are created equal" but if so, it would suggest that he was not just an idealist, but a hypocrite too. (I just read a book about slavery.)

I read about the salons in Vienna in And After the Fire. This book focused on music. I always thought it would be cool to be a part of salons. Everyone I know is very specialized in their own field. A modern application of the Salon might be Ted Talks, though for most of us, it involves passive listening/watching rather than active discussion.

Thank you! I've been envious of people who spent their time in salons ever since reading about Madame de Staël on a visit to Geneva as a teenager... If you're interested in decision-making processes & irrationality, have you read Thinking, Fast and Slow? It's one of my all-time favourites!

Nikki wrote: "Thank you! I've been envious of people who spent their time in salons ever since reading about Madame de Staël on a visit to Geneva as a teenager... If you're interested in decision-making processe..."

Not yet, but it's on my list. I read an earlier book by Tversky & Kahneman in grad school, and other books on social cognition, bias, and decision making.