Biological Sciences 321A - Art, Music, and the Brain

Art and music are a part of all human cultures. Is there something about the human brain that drives us to paint and sing? We will examine how the brain simultaneously processes different aspects of a visual object, such as shape, color, and depth, and ask how this processing may affect the way we draw and paint. We will ask whether musical dissonance and consonance are biologically or culturally determined and whether or not different parts of the brain process different aspects of music such as pitch, melody, harmony, rhythm, and the emotional content of a musical piece.

Prereq: Seniors with at least 8 credits at the 200 level in Biological Sciences, Neuroscience and Behavior, Studio Art, Art History, or Music