Review: Zeki, Semir (2010). Splendors and miseries of the brain. Love, creativity, and the quest for human happiness

Abstract

The book "Splendors and miseries of the brain. Love, creativity, and the quest for human happiness" (German title: "Glanz und Elend des Gehirns. Neurobiologie im Spiegel von Kunst, Musik und Literatur“) describes, how essential abilities of the brain become manifest in works of art. By means of famous artwork, like Paul Cézanne’s „Montagne Sainte Victoire“, Dante Alighieri’s „Die göttliche Komödie“ und Richard Wagner’s „Tristan und Isolde“, Semir Zeki exemplifies his assumption about creative art as dispositional resort from discontent. According to Zeki, inherent concepts of the brain develop ideals, which remain impossible to attain. The incoherency between inherent and developed concepts can be characterised as "Splendors and miseries of the brain" at the same time. Research of neurobiology is combined with philosophical perspectives and complemented by the interpretation of art, literature and music. Artwork becomes expressed by neurobiological basics and the brain becomes font of awareness.