behind the curtain: how the brain creates reality through fiction

BEHIND THE CURTAIN:

How the brain creates reality through fiction

Herwig Kopp, Behind The Curtain, Solmukohta 2016

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WHO ARE YOU?

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Who am I?4


courtesy of ITS ALL IN THE MIND STUFF, Berlin5


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+ +

MIXING

Brain Science New Media Art Communications Design

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THE SKY OVER NINE COLUMNS

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http://www.mackinvenice.com

http://www.mackinvenice.com

EXPANDING STORIES

4x Oscar nominee9


© 2010 Benh Zeitlin, Fox Seearchlight

MOBILE GAMES (EDUTECH)

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in development / coming in 2017 © Normalum

THE FIRST USEFUL 3D CYBERPUNK-RPG on a MOBILE DEVICE

GREY ZONES IN BETWEEN FICTION & REALITY

www.olgapalomaki.net11


educational use © Olga Palomaki

http://www.olgapalomaki.net

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Normalum 2016, CC BY-NC

SCIENCE?

NEURO…?

MEASUREMENTS?

>> Neuroscience inspired perspectivism >> Expertise how to work most effectively with human cognition

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Not really, rather:

C O N C E P T S A R E O U R R E A L I T Y

„A mobile army of metaphors, metonyms, and anthropomorphisms — in short, a sum of human relations which have been enhanced, transposed, and embellished poetically and rhetorically, and which after long use seem firm, canonical, and obligatory to a people: truths are illusions about which one has forgotten that this is what they are; metaphors which are worn out and without sensuous power; coins which have lost their pictures and now matter only as metal, no longer as coins.“

Friedrich Nietzsche (1873) On Truth and Lies in a Nonmoral Sense

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3 A C T S

HEROES

CONCEPTS

THE CURTAIN

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A C T 1

HEROES

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Who is producing the engaging, immersive, interactive, participative cultural stimuli?

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T I N M A N S C A R E C R O WD O R O T H Y

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educational use © 1939, Wizard of Oz, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

HERO´s JOURNEY

3 H E R O E S , P L E A S E …

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CHECK IN:

THE HEROE´S JOURNEY

Act 1

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A C T 2

CONCEPTS

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#1

Worshipping

what is not there

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!

Close your eyes

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. . .C O N C E P T S ~ T H O U G H T S

A R E T H E M O S T E F F E C T I V E A N D B U I L D I N G B L O C K S T O C R E AT E U N D E R S TA N D I N G , E M PAT H Y, E M O T I O N !

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!

The thought of a cow is something else than the cow itself.

„COW!“

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AT T E N T I O N A N D F O C U S

O N T H I N G S W H I C H A R E N O T P R E S E N T ?

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Lower pics: “Link” from “Legend of Zelda” © 1986-2016 Nintedo, Capcom, Vanpool, Grezzo

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“Each increase in the complexity of our communications vehicles – the moves from pictographic languages to abstract alphabets or from cave painting to digital image manipulation – has been motivated by the desire to improve the range and reach of meaning we can share.” !

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(Macy, Anderson & Krygier, 2000)

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#2

Apophenia

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#3

Undifferentiated Coding

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UNDERSTANDING = so and so much !in a particular time at a particular area !of our body!!

“KNOWING” THAT ~ “KNOWING” WHAT

0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0

Actionpotential

Voltag

e (m

V)

Dep

olar

izat

ion R

epolarizationThreshold

Stimulus

Failedinitiations

Resting state

Refractoryperiod

+40

0

-55

-70

0 1 2 3 4 5Time (ms)

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!

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# THE FIST AND THE EYE!!

# CALORIC NYSTAGMUS

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S P I K E T R A I N S & S Y N C H R O N I S AT I O N

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lower pic: Kenneth D. Harris (May 2005) “Neural signatures of cell assembly organisation” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 6, 399-407

W E D O N ' T S E E T H I N G S A S T H E Y A R E , W E S E E T H E M A S W E A R E . – !

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A N A I S N I N

S E E I N G

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#4

Adaptation

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T H E B L O O D Y B U S H

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© Normalum 2016

For a limited time you can order the self-enhancement kit

“The Bloody Bush” (with 2 LEDs) -40% off regular price for only EUR 9,95.-

HERE www.normalum.com/portfolio/bloodybush/

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© Normalum 2016

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photo by Joffe Ryberg-Liden / Solmukohta 2016

Iris

Central layer of blood vessels(Retinal arteries & veins)

Blind Spot

Optic Nerve

Fovea

Macula

Retina

Peripheral layer of blood vessels (Choroid)

Lens

Cornea

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PupilIris

Lens

Cornea

Sclera

Choroid

Retina

Blind spot

Optic nerveFovea / Macula

Retinal

blood vessels

Vitreous

humour

Choroid

Photo-Receptors

blood vessels

Retinal

Light stimulus

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• L O C A L A D A P T I O N • M O V I N G L I G H T = C H A N G I N G A R E A S

O F T H E S H A D O W S O N T H E R E T I N A R E N D E R I N G T H E L O C A L A D A P TA I O N I N E F F E C T I V E , T E M P O R A R I LY…

W T F… ? !

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#5

Memory

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The unbearable lightness of memory // World Science Festival (2011) >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvS_GXf9vRA

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educational use © World Science Festival

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvS_GXf9vRA

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#6

Neuropolitics

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“The gene-pool politics which monitor power struggles among terrestrial humanity are transcended in this info-world, i.e. seen as static, artificial charades. One is neither coercively manipulated into another's territorial reality nor forced to struggle against it with reciprocal game-playing (the usual soap opera dramatics). One simply elects, consciously, whether or not to share the other's reality tunnel.” !

Timothy Leary & Robert Anton Wilson, Neuropolitique, New Falcon Publications, 2006, p. 93

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B L A C K B O X / S K I N N E R B O X ?

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E N G I N E E R I N G C O N S E N T

„The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. ...We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized.“

Edward Bernays (1928) Propaganda. Chapter “Organising Chaos"

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SUMMARY

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#1 CONCEPTS

#2 APOPHENIA

#3 UNDIFFERENTIATED CODING

#4 ADAPTATION

#5 MEMORY

#6 NEUROPOLITICS

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CHECK IN:


Act 2

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A C T 3

THE CURTAIN

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N A R R AT I V E I N T E R A C T I O N D E S I G N

MAY SAVE (Y)OUR ASS!

SOLUTION / BELIEF:

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L A R P S ! L A R P S ! L A R P S ! !

T H E M O N I T O R C E L E S T R A L A R P ( 2 0 1 3 )

by Alternatliv HB, Bardo and Berättelsefrämjandet

© Copyright Glen A. Larson / Ronald D. Moore / David Eick / Sci-Fi Channel

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B A N K S Y - D I S M A L A N D ( U K , 2 0 1 5 )

© Copyright Rob Farrow and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence

A R T ! A R T ! A R T !

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"I see Walt Disney as a control freak, a sovereign over collective fantasies."

Luc Tuymans, Artist

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L U C T U Y M A N S “ W O N D E R L A N D "

Luc Tuymans, Wonderland, 2008 © Luc Tuymans, installation view, Haus der Kunst67


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F O R M F O L L O W S F U N C T I O N !

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F U N C T I O N F O L L O W S F O R M ! !

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L O U I S S U L L I VA N ( 1 8 9 6 ) I N H I S A R T I C L E « T H E TA L L O F F I C E B U I L D I N G A R T I S T I C A L LY C O N S I D E R E D » .

S PAT I A L D E S I G N ! S PAT I A L D E S I G N ! S PAT I A L D E S I G N !

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S H A K K E I - “ B O R R O W E D S C E N E R Y ”

J A PA N E S E G A R D E N T E R M I N O L O G Y

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" A N I M A G I N AT I O N I S A P O W E R F U L T O O L . I T C A N T I N T M E M O R I E S O F T H E PA S T, S H A D E P E R C E P T I O N S O F T H E P R E S E N T, O R PA I N T A F U T U R E S O V I V I D T H AT I T C A N E N T I C E … O R T E R R I F Y, A L L D E P E N D I N G U P O N H O W W E C O N D U C T O U R S E LV E S T O D AY. " - !

J I M D AV I S , I N V E N T O R O F G A R F I E L D

I M A G I N AT I O N !

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eductaional use © Jim Davis

E V E R Y K I N D O F I G N O R A N C E I N T H E W O R L D A L L R E S U LT S F R O M N O T R E A L I Z I N G T H AT O U R P E R C E P T I O N S A R E G A M B L E S . W E B E L I E V E W H AT W E S E E A N D T H E N W E B E L I E V E O U R I N T E R P R E TAT I O N O F I T, W E D O N ' T E V E N K N O W W E A R E M A K I N G A N I N T E R P R E TAT I O N M O S T O F T H E T I M E . W E T H I N K T H I S I S R E A L I T Y. – !

R O B E R T A N T O N W I L S O N

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read the “Illuminatus!” Trilogy by Robert Wilson & Robert Shea (1975)

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via fuckyouverymuch.dk / source unkown

http://fuckyouverymuch.dk

W R A P U P

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R E A L LY I S … F I C T I O N !

W O R K I N G H Y P O T H E S I S : !

T R U T H , R E A L I T Y A N D T H E N A R R A T I V E B A S E O F O U R L I F E [ T H E W O R L D ] …

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F E E L E M P O W E R E D T O U S E T H I S F O R C H A N G I N G R E A L I T Y T R O U G H S T O R Y T E L L I N G !

“ Y O U A R E Y O U R O W N S T O R I E S A N D T H E R E F O R E F R E E T O I M A G I N E A N D E X P E R I E N C E W H AT I T M E A N S T O B E H U M A N W I T H O U T W E A LT H . W H AT I T F E E L S L I K E T O B E H U M A N W I T H O U T D O M I N AT I O N O V E R O T H E R S , W I T H O U T R E C K L E S S A R R O G A N C E , W I T H O U T F E A R O F O T H E R S U N L I K E Y O U , W I T H O U T R O TAT I N G , R E H E A R S I N G A N D R E I N V E N T I N G T H E H AT R E D S Y O U L E A R N E D I N T H E S A N D B O X . A N D A LT H O U G H Y O U D O N ’ T H AV E C O M P L E T E C O N T R O L O V E R T H E N A R R AT I V E ( N O A U T H O R D O E S , I C A N T E L L Y O U ) , Y O U C O U L D N E V E R T H E L E S S C R E AT E I T. [ … ] ”

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T O N I M O R R I S O N , N O B E L P R I Z E W I N N E R ( L I T E R AT U R E ) I N 1 9 9 3

S T O R Y T E L L I N G !

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!

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T O N I M O R R I S O N S P E A K I N G AT " A T R I B U T E T O C H I N U A A C H E B E - 5 0 Y E A R S A N N I V E R S A R Y O F ' T H I N G S FA L L A PA R T ' " . T H E T O W N H A L L , N E W Y O R K C I T Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 6 T H , 2 0 0 8 C C B Y A N G E L A R A D U L E S C U - T O N I _ M O R R I S O N _ 2 0 0 8

!

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T O N I M O R R I S O N S P E A K I N G AT " A T R I B U T E T O C H I N U A A C H E B E - 5 0 Y E A R S A N N I V E R S A R Y O F ' T H I N G S FA L L A PA R T ' " . T H E T O W N H A L L , N E W Y O R K C I T Y, F E B R U A R Y 2 6 T H , 2 0 0 8 C C B Y A N G E L A R A D U L E S C U - T O N I _ M O R R I S O N _ 2 0 0 8

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“[…] Although you will never fully know or successfully manipulate the characters who

surface or disrupt your plot, you can respect the ones who do by paying them close

attention and doing them justice. The theme you choose may change or simply elude you,

but being your own story means you can always choose the tone. It also means that you can

invent the language to say who you are and what you mean. But then, I am a teller of stories

and therefore an optimist, a believer in the ethical bend of the human heart, a believer in the

mind’s disgust with fraud and its appetite for truth, a believer in the ferocity of beauty. So,

from my point of view, which is that of a storyteller, I see your life as already artful, waiting,

just waiting and ready for you to make it art." (TM) ...that matters. (HK)

CHECK IN:


Act 3

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TA K E A W AY S ( N O T O N LY F O R H O M E U S E )

# You life is based on concepts sequenced into stories

# Be responsible in creating stories - you are creating perspectives for others…

# Do not trust filters – not your own and not the ones designed – work with them, hack them. Be transparent.

# Trust your intuition and imagination FIRST – fiction is creating reality.

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H E R W I G K O P P H K @ N O R M A L U M . C O M T W I T T E R @ I A M A F O R M FA C E B O O K H E R W I G K O P P B L O G W W W. T R O P I C O F C H O I C E . C O M

T H A N K Y O U !

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mailto:[email protected]

http://www.tropicofchoice.com

behind the curtain: how the brain creates reality through fiction

Education