Poetic Arts: Universality of Aesthetic Experience in Individual Contexts
Stefan cel Mare University of Suceava (RO) ·Romania
About this project
<p><span style="color: #0069D2; font-family: "sans serif", "serif"; font-size: 9pt">PoeticA uses neuroaesthetics methods to study the universality of aesthetic experience (literary and visual arts) in individual contexts (nationalist and liberal cultures of Ireland, Britain, and Italy) in order to discuss nationalism and cosmopolitanism. We will contribute answers to two questions of general human interest. One is the centuries-old question, “Is aesthetic experience universal?”, which we will explore by uncovering the neurobiological bases of aesthetic pleasure derived from (1) neural mechanisms involved in the perception of rhythm, as well as from (2) memories of pleasurable bodily experiences evoked by conceptual metaphors. By contributing an answer to this first question, we will construct an empirical base for answering a second question, one that is related to the socio-political experience of the modern world: do biological universals favour cosmopolitanism over nationalism? Our overarching hypothesis is that cosmopolitanism provides an evolutionary advantage over nationalism: we, humans, need novelty and empathetic exploration as well as the empathetic familiarity of the group, but we would rather explore than remain confined within the symmetries of nationalisms and the perception of safety they engender. The project is also one of establishing the first neuroaesthetics laboratory in Romania, now functioning at the University of Suceava with a staff of 4 researchers and as member in the project consortium next to NTNU and the University of Bergen from Norway. Our collaborative work will lead to future joint funding applications for European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grants and Research Council of Norway (RCN) funding calls. We will also create a joint Romanian-Norwegian masters level neuroaesthetics module to be taught at the University of Suceava, the first of its kind in Romania, thereby offering humanists the chance to link with science, and scientists the opportunity to benefit from the analytical depth of humanistic inquiry.</span></p>
Bilateral cooperation results
While we have completed our deliverables in terms of published material and drafts of future publications, PoeticA will continue in new form for at least another six years, meaning that our collaborations with NTNU and the University of Bergen will also continue. We have at least another volume and three more papers in progress, and the data we acquired will be used for collaborative research, as far as we can tell at this time, for the reminder of the decade. The project was very dynamic and opened new venues of investigation that had not been foreseen at the time of application. Practically, each of our work packages can become a project in itself and we have enough data and analyses to enable us to write future joint project proposals and hopefully obtain further funding to sustain our Romanian-Norwegian bilateral cooperation.
Project partners
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology Donor project partner· Norway
- University of Bergen Donor project partner· Norway