Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett on The Functions of the Brain

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    From seeing that other video I posted recently and its references, we might want a broader thread to include Barrett's research and Hoffman's etc. Maybe something like Parallels between modern brain research and Epicurean philosophy? Need to wordsmith that.

    I am struggling to get my arms around one or more of her ultimate points, which I think is probably the ultimate way to decide on a category. For example I am thinking that if someone was interested in some particular author writing on "action at a distance" that would pretty clearly go under Physics, and then maybe "Details of the Interactions between Atoms and Void."

    Before we branch into too many separate Feldman threads, I am tempted to want to figure our exactly what direction this is leading and then label the thread (or subforum) with that title. Is the topic: "Lisa Feldman Barrett on the Operation of the Emotions"?

    Quote from Cassius

    . Is the topic: "Lisa Feldman Barrett on the Operation of the Emotions"?

    I think it's deeper than that. The emotions are only one aspect of her research and not even the one that seems to resonate the most with Epicurus's Philosophy. I see much stronger analogies with her talk about sensations and "concepts".. The emotions are along for the ride from my perspective here. That seems to be her most provocative topic for a lay audience.

    I think Godfrey was planning to weigh in again as well.

    Ok that moves us in a direction, under Canonics, something like "Modern Research Into the Nature of Brain Function" (?)

    I do think we need to make clear that these conversations will be of the "modern research" variety and not really an extension or modification of Epicurean philosophy itself. That's much as we will need to do in many aspects of the "physics."

    We're going to have people who want to really focus on material like this, and we're going to have people who think it is irrelevant and even distracting, just as happens in each aspect of the physics discussions, so it would be good to think about how to make clear what people are reading in each section.

  • Cassius April 13, 2021 at 10:01 AM

    Changed the title of the thread from “TED talk: Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett” to “Dr. Lisa Feldman Barrett on The Functions of the Brain”.

    My approach to her book is to relate it to all of the Canon: sensations, prolepseis and feelings. It does seem quite similar to physics in terms of modern research v ancient philosophy. The biggest difference, to me, is that we have so little to work with regarding Epicurean prolepseis that it's very tempting to fill in some gaps using modern research.

    I'm about halfway into putting together a post on her book. This week is quite busy so I probably won't finish until the weekend or early next week =O

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