Most creatures’ landscapes are hard wired into their brains. The neuro-landmarks and neuro-pathways that make up the brain are programmed to reflect the outer landmarks and pathways that their senses notice and follow in the landscape — animals’ brains are mirrors of the outer landscapes in which they survive. TheContinue Reading
We, as do all animals, evolve with our landscapes. Our understanding of them is entirely enmeshed with our perception of them. We notice certain landmarks and pathways because we have inherited them, and they work. They lead us to gifts. “Where do these gifts come from?” asked early sapiens. AndContinue Reading
It is the mystery of music that it has no specific meaning, either sensually, emotionally, or cognitively. It is not philosophical. It does have aesthetic meaning, however. For the simple fact of its moving toward and away from the tonic provides us a sense of growth and decay, of theContinue Reading
When we “dare greatly,” we fall; and when we fall, that is when we must “rise strong.” These are truths that animate two of Brene Brown’s inspirational books. She is not overtly spiritual, but she says that spirituality has a part to play in every story of overcoming failure. SheContinue Reading
Addictive internet landscapes — video, games, pornography, e-stores, social media, etc. — affect our perception of color, music, relationships, and everything. It seems ludicrous to let someone else, some unknown person (with, no doubt, greedy motives), choose the qualia we see. Imagine a child who begins to buy stuff onContinue Reading