Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

MEMORY, MIND & THE SELF

Program 11-04-03-A

Play MP3 File Play Windows Media File Download MP3 File

New York Times columnist David Brooks is best known for his political writing, but he's also fascinated by recent findings in psychology and neuroscience. In fact he says many of our public policies fail because we're not actually the rational decision makers we think we are. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll talk with David Brooks. Also, rising jazz star Vijay Iyer on the neuroscience of music.

SEGMENT 1:

New discoveries in psychology and neuroscience are changing how we think about thinking. Would you like to sharpen your memory? You can, with just a few tips from Joshua Foer, the author of "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything." He tells Jim Fleming the trick is to tell yourself an unforgettable story. The antithesis of that desire belongs to Jill Price, who simply can't forget. She suffers from "hyperthymesia," or "total recall," which means she can remember every day of her life since the age of fourteen.

SEGMENT 2:

No one doubts memory is one of the things that shapes our sense of self, but is there a science of self? Neuroscientist Antonio Damasio runs the USC Brain and Creativity Institute, and has written several popular books including "Self Comes to Mind." Steve Paulson talked with Damasio about the science of memory & self. Jazz pianist Vijay Iyer would understand. Indian by heritage, American by birth, Iyer is trying to create a new kind of music, a synthesis of Western jazz and Indian music. With a Ph.D. in physics, and an understanding of both math and neuroscience, he tells Anne Strainchamps how he melds science with art.

SEGMENT 3:

Coke consistently outsells Pepsi, though Pepsi routinely wins blind taste tests. Why is one of the mysteries of advertising. Some agencies are now hiring neuroscientists to help figure it out. Danish neurobiologist Lone Frank, author of "Mindfield," tells Steve Paulson some people are hoping neuro-marketing will lead to huge profits. NY Times commentator David Brooks has been fascinated for years by research in neuroscience and cognitive psychology. It's what he talks about in his latest book, "The Social Animal." Brooks tells Steve Paulson that brain sciences are overturning centuries of old thinking about human nature.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 11-02-20-A.

................................................................

Books & CDs:

David Brooks, The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character and Achievement (Random House)
Joshua Foer, Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything (Penguin Press)
Lone Frank, Mindfield: How Brain Science is Changing Our World (Oneworld)
Antonio Damasio, Self Comes to Mind: Constructing the Conscious Brain (Pantheon)

Websites:

• Joshua Foer
  http://joshuafoer.com/
• Antonio Damasio USC Profile
  http://www.usc.edu/programs/neuroscience/faculty/profile.php?fid=27
• Vijay Iyer
  http://www.vijay-iyer.com/
• Lone Frank
  http://lonefrank.dk/?lang=en
• David Brooks NYT Opinion Page

Music:

• After Return:
  Vijay Iyer w/ “Smoke Stack”
  On “Historicity”
  ACT Music
  
• After Foer:
  Alain Eskinasi w/ “Shamans Wood”
  On “Brainscapes”
  CyberOctave
  
• In Price:
  “Waiting for a Train” & “Time”
  On “Inception” soundtrack
  Reprise Records
  
• After Price:
  “Back to Uluru”
  On “Brainscapes”
  
• Vijay Iyer (In order):
  “Games” on “Solo”
  “Human Nature” on “Solo”
  “Black & Tan Fantasy” on “Solo”
  “Mystic Brew” on “Historicity”
  “Tribal Wisdom” on “Tirtha”
  “Falsehood” on “Tirtha”
  (All produced by ACT Music)
  “Things go better with Coke”
  On “TeeVee Toons: The Commercials”
  TVT Records
  
• After Frank:
  Ernie Freeman Combo w/ “Rock House”
  On “Ultra-Lounge”
  Capitol Records
  
• After Brooks:
  Kenny Burrell w/ “All Day Long”
  on “Prestige Profiles Kenny Burrell”
  Prestige Records
  

Distribution dates: week of 04/03/2011 - hour 1 click HERE for timings and cues

Play MP3 File Play Windows Media File Download MP3 File

................................................................

Questions and comments can be addressed to: ttbook@wpr.org

Wisconsin Public Radio is a service of the
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
and University of Wisconsin - Extension.

Page design and management by Jim Fleming and Sarah Fleming.

© 2010 WHA Radio and the Board of Regents of the
University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.