The Aesthetic Brain
By Anjan Chatterjee
How We Evolved to Desire Beauty and Enjoy Art. Oxford University Press, 2015.
Summary of The Aesthetic Brain book by Anjan Chatterjee
An in-depth approach to explain humanity’s appreciation of beauty, pleasure, and art from the perspective of a neuroscientist fascinated by how the brain perceives these elements.
Chapters in The Aesthetic Brain book summary
What do you get from this book? Explore the science behind why we love and crave beauty in all forms
Average facial features and universal traits are considered beautiful by all, but culture contributes to our perceptions of beauty
Scenery that provides clues about abundant resources and security appears beautiful to our brains
The simplicity and generality of numbers and equations make abstract math attractive
We find pleasure in eating because food sustains us and communicates with us
A deep-rooted instinct to further our species is at the heart of enjoying sex
Money’s abstract nature doesn’t affect the pleasure we get from having it
Art is practiced across all cultures, but it is impossible to define
The beauty of art is largely influenced by its context and the culture creating it
The history of art predates humanity itself, but science offers educated guesses for its presence
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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The Aesthetic Brain — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read The Aesthetic Brain book
- art enthusiasts
- mathematicians
About the author of The Aesthetic Brain
Anjan Chatterjee
Anjan Chatterjee is a neuroscientist, professor of neurology at Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and the director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics. He has served as the president of the International Association of Empirical Aesthetics and has also edited and contributed to several books in the field of neuroscience.
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