Neal Stephenson explores the distinguishing features of the world of Science Fiction.
Tags / greshamcollege
Tagged with “greshamcollege”
(6)
-
Science Fiction versus Mundane Culture
Tagged with nealstephenson greshamcollege sciencefiction
-
The Psychology of Performing Arts: The power of music
How does music exert such extraordinary effects on our emotions? To what extent does it depend upon our nature (biological rhythms, instinctive reactions to certain sound patterns) and to what extent experience (e.g. conditioned associations, nostalgia)? Particular attention is given to the tension-reduction and optimal uncertainty theories of musical enjoyment. We will also consider whether there is any truth in the claim that listening to music can increase intelligence in the listener (the so-called ‘Mozart Effect’).
Tagged with glennwilson greshamcollege music psychology
-
The Question of Beauty in Architecture
Alain de Botton, writer, broadcaster and producer, ponders the question of beauty and its application to architecture.
Tagged with alaindebotton architecture greshamcollege
-
Visual Perception
The eye, although a critical component of sight, is not where vision occurs. The ability to interpret the signals generated in the eye by the brain allows for the perception of vision. Sight is a complex sense requiring co-ordinated interaction amongst many regions and pathways of the brain. The untangling of these processes from the age of enlightenment through psychological experiments with optical illusions, to modern neural imaging, has revealed fundamental mechanisms of how the brain works.
Tagged with williamayliffe greshamcollege
-
London’s Lost Rivers: The Hackney Brook and other North West Passages
Iain Sinclair takes a look at the rivers of London which have either faded out of the minds of Londoners or else disappeared completely. He considers what relationship these ‘lost’ rivers have with the idea of ‘northness’ within London and beyond.
Tagged with greshamcollege iainsinclair london lost rivers
-
Codebreaking in everyday life
Everything we buy, from books to baked beans, has a product code printed on it. More sophisticated check-digit codes exist on official documents, bank notes and air tickets. What are they for and what do they mean? We take a look at the mathematical structure of these codes and explain their purposes. And in this age of boundless surveillance, are there enough numbers for each of us to have a serial number of our own?
Talk given by Professor John D Barrow FRS
Tagged with codebreaking mathematics greshamcollege johnbarrow