V.S. Ramachandran on
Culture:
3-400,000 years ago the brain was already at its present
size. 75,000 years ago humans took a great leap forward, discovering a vast
number of new skills
The emergence of a sophisticated mirror neuron system at
this time allowed for emulation of another’s actions
Accidental discoveries, instead of dying out, spread rapidly
horizontally across the populations or are transmitted vertically down the
generations.
In this way, Culture
is Lamarckian – it takes humans five minutes to learn what a species
subject to Darwinian evolution takes 100,000 years to learn.
Vilayanur Ramachandran
Lecture at TEDIndia
2009, Filmed Nov 2009, Posted Jan 2010
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| http://www.themirrorbox.info/ |
There is increasing evidence that an optical apparatus
called the Mirrorbox contributes to the breakdown of discrete identity. Through
an immersive helmet design and specially sequenced lighting program, the
Mirrorbox helps collapse personal boundary thresholds allowing participants to
enter into a state of temporary shared identity with one another.
Imaginary Foundation,
Aug2012
Megan Daalder is an
instructor at UCLA’s Art/Science Nanolab. Nanolab is a two-week program for high
school students at the intersection of art and science. Daalder’s video tells
the story about how one of her art projects morphed into an investigation into
the psychology and neuroscience of empathy.
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