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"The separateness and connection of individuals is perhaps the central question of human life: What, exactly, is my individuality? To what degree is it unique? To what degree can it be shared, and how? To the many philosophical and literary speculations about these topics over time, modern science has added the curious twist of quantum theory, which requires that the elementary particles of which everything consists have no individuality at all. All aspects of chemistry depend on this lack of individuality, as do many branches of physics. From where, then, does our individuality come?" "In Seeing Double, Peter Pesic invites readers to explore this intriguing set of questions. He draws on literary and historical examples that open the mind (from Homer to Martin Guerre to Kafka), philosophical analyses that have helped to make our thinking and speech more precise, and scientific work that has enabled us to characterize the phenomena of nature. Though he does not try to be all-inclusive, Pesic presents a broad range of ideas, building toward a specific point of view: that the crux of modern quantum theory is its clash with our ordinary concept of individuality. This represents a departure from the usual understanding of quantum theory. Pesic argues that what is bizarre about quantum theory becomes more intelligible as we reconsider what we mean by individuality and identity in ordinary experience. In turn, quantum identity opens a new perspective on us." --Jacket.

Identity (Psychology) --- Individuality. --- Psychology and literature. --- Psychology and philosophy. --- Philosophy and science. --- Individuality --- Psychology and literature --- Psychology and philosophy --- Philosophy and science --- Psychology --- Social Sciences --- Literature and psychology --- Personal identity --- Science and philosophy --- Philosophy and psychology --- Literature --- Conformity --- Likes and dislikes --- Personality --- Self --- Ego (Psychology) --- Science --- Philosophy --- PHILOSOPHY/General --- PHYSICAL SCIENCES/General --- Identity (Psychology).

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An exploration of polyphony and the perspective it offers on our own polyphonic brains. Polyphony - the interweaving of simultaneous sounds - is a crucial aspect of music that has deep implications for how we understand the mind. Peter Pesic examines the history and significance of "polyphonicity" - of "many-voicedness" - in human experience. He presents the emergence of Western polyphony, its flowering, its horizons, and the perspective it offers on our own polyphonic brains. When we listen to polyphonic music, how is it that we can hear several different things at once? How does a single mind experience those things as a unity (a motet, a fugue) rather than an incoherent jumble? Pesic argues that polyphony raises fundamental issues for philosophy, theology, literature, psychology, and neuroscience - all searching for the apparent unity of consciousness in the midst of multiple simultaneous experiences. After tracing the development of polyphony in Western music from ninth-century church music through the experimental compositions of Glenn Gould and John Cage, Pesic considers the analogous activity within the brain, the polyphonic "music of the hemispheres" that shapes brain states from sleep to awakening. He discusses how neuroscientists draw on concepts from polyphony to describe the "neural orchestra" of the brain. Pesic's story begins with ancient conceptions of God's mind and ends with the polyphonic personhood of the human brain and body. An enhanced e-book edition allows the sound examples to be played by a touch.

Counterpoint --- Music --- Music psychology --- Psychological aspects&delete& --- History --- Philosophy and aesthetics&delete& --- Psychological aspects --- Psychology --- Art music --- Art music, Western --- Classical music --- Musical compositions --- Musical works --- Serious music --- Western art music --- Western music (Western countries) --- Polyphony --- Music theory --- Aesthetics --- History. --- Philosophy and aesthetics --- Psychological aspects. --- SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & SOCIETY/History of Science --- ARTS/Music & Sound Studies --- NEUROSCIENCE/General

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Mathematics --- Physics --- Philosophy --- Philosophy. --- Logic of mathematics --- Mathematics, Logic of --- Mathematics - Philosophy --- Physics - Philosophy --- Mathématiques --- Physique --- Philosophie