[Smt-talk] Aesthetics of Computer-Generated Music

[Michael Morse]

> But there are fMRI studies of the learning of music; one question is
> whether the activation areas of the brain are different when learning
> music as compared to learning other tasks.
> 
> Linda Seltzer post-enrolled, grad, Princeton
> 
> > In support of the other side of the "field of musical neuroscience" one
> > should add that for many, perhaps most, researchers music is as little
> > cognitive as walking, skiing, dancing and whistling.

But what could such research results actually tell us about musical experience? Or for that matter, musical learning? Do we now know enough about the brain to draw clear and intelligible inferences from the constitutive involvement of its different sectors in our conduct and behaviour? In other words, does it in fact tell us something useful about teaching skiing, cattle rustling, or symphonic conducting to know that learning the skill occurs in one sector as opposed to another? Forgive the naiveté of the question; I have often seen answers presumed, but have yet to hear from anyone who knows what they're talking about on this!

MW Morse
Trent University
Peterborough/Oshawa

 		 	   		  
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