The Soul in the Brain: The Cerebral Basis of Language, Art, and Belief

In this provocative study, Michael R. Trimble, M.D., tackles the\ninterrelationship between brain function, language, art –\nespecially music and poetry – and religion. By examining the\nbreakdown of language in several neuropsychiatric disorders,\nneuroscientists have identified brain circuits that are involved\nwith metaphor, poetry, music, and religious experiences. Drawing on\nthis body of evidence, Trimble argues that religious experiences\nand beliefs are explicable biologically and relate to brain\nfunction, especially of the nondominant hemisphere.

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Inspired by the writings and reflections of his patients – many\nof whom have epilepsy, psychosis, or affective disorders – Trimble\nasks how the human species, so enamored of its own logic and\ncritical facilities, has held from the dawn of civilization strong\nreligious beliefs and a reverence for the arts. He explores topics\nsuch as the phenomena of hypergraphia and hyper-religiosity, how\nreligious experiences and poetic expression are neurologically\nlinked with our capacity to respond to music, and how\nneuropsychiatric disorders influence behaviors related to artistic\nexpression and religiosity by disturbing brain function.

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With the sensitivity of a dedicated doctor and the curiosity of\nan accomplished scholar, Trimble offers an insightful analysis of\nhow the study of people with paradigmatical neuropsychiatric\nconditions can be the cornerstone to unraveling some of the\nmysteries of the cerebral representations of our highest cultural\nexperiences.

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