Human, Space, and Sense
Tauhid Nur Azhar
“Man, Space, and Sense” is a combination born from the womb of the concept of creation that results in functional relationships in various models that mutually influence and construct each other.
“Space and man” are creatures of procreation that bring agreement of interaction and represent a model of functional association that constructs a condition that changes with the dynamics of time, leaving every fragment as a part of the drama that has passed.
Humans are endowed with memory of what has been perceived through the optic nerve, auditory nerve, trigeminal nerve, glossopharyngeal nerve, olfactory nerve, Pacinian corpuscles, Ruffini corpuscles, Meissner corpuscles, Krause nerve endings, nerve endings without membranes, and Merkel discs throughout their body.
Then, data from the external and internal environment are processed in the association center after integration and distribution of information, which is regulated, among other things, by the thalamus and processed in the Telencephalon region, which is anatomically located in the anterior part of the brain and extends to the middle part of the brain (Osumi-Yamashita et al., 1994). The Telencephalon is the largest part of the brain, which includes the cerebral cortex or the big brain, allocortex, and striatum (Harris et al., 2015). Structurally, the Telencephalon itself consists of a thin gray-colored layer/substantia nigra, behavior, and comprises 15–33 billion neurons (Huang et al., 2011). In addition, the Telencephalon also consists of the basal ganglia (a part of the brain that functions as motor control), the corpus striatum (subcortical area), and the olfactory bulb (data processing from the sense of smell) (Haryanto, 2010).
Functionally, the Telencephalon plays a role in constructing intelligence, developing personality traits, interpreting sensory stimuli/sensory perception, processing information from the sense of smell, and responding to tactile sensory perception (skin) (Haryanto, 2010).
Data from all sensory pathways certainly require classification, prioritization, and optimization of utilization, including their distribution for various neurophysiological functions. One of the neurophysiological mechanisms in regulating the distribution of information acquired from the somatic/peripheral sensory system and data from the visceral nervous system is the mechanism played by the salience network (SN). SN is composed of two main structures, the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex. These anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex become part of the cortico-striatal-thalamic loop connected to many strategic areas such as the amygdala, putamen, striatum, ventral tegmental area, and thalamus.
The primary function of the Salience Network (SN) is to modulate and bridge the gap between executive responses and the intrinsic foundational platform of human neurophysiological nature in providing structured and adequate responses to various issues and conditions faced. It can also be said that the SN manages sensory data for further processing into cognitive responses that may lead to action. Decision-making and psychomotor actions are carried out based on an understanding of the situation developed from the analysis of sensory information.
However, before reaching a state of action where decisions have been agreed upon, there is a function of the Default Mode Network (DMN) that is needed to accommodate the essence values of the decision-maker. The DMN, also known as the Default Mode Network, Medial Frontoparietal Network, or M-FPN, consists of structures such as the mediodorsal prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, and angular gyrus. It plays a role in contemplation, thinking about what others think, analyzing various past and ongoing events, and daydreaming about the future. The work of the DMN is then used by the Central Executive Network (CEN), which consists of structures such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and the interparietal sulcus. The CEN is the center for decision-making, processing working memory, problem-solving, and constructive efforts aimed at achieving specific goals.
The Frontoparietal Network (FPN) is involved in executive functions and goal-oriented, cognitively demanding tasks. It is crucial for rule-based problem solving, actively maintaining and manipulating information in working memory, and making decisions in the context of goal-directed behavior.
Therefore, awareness of space cannot be separated from the neurophysiological processes in the microcosm of the human being. The macrocosmic world will influence the microcosmic world, and vice versa. Just like the spectrum of colors, the scent of the earth, aerosol particles, the microbiome, and even the particles of photons and space dust will all affect the microcosmic world of humans. They will influence their perspective, preference formation processes, reasoning processes, and cognitive capacity, ultimately affecting their emotions and consciousness. Space, along with all its elements, will intertwine with the most fundamental and essential constructs of perception.
At that point, beauty or the sense of it becomes a captivating data that serves as the adhesive factor for all the elements in the relationship between humans and their space.
Aesthetics is born as a definition of beauty that is the offspring of the marriage between memory references and preferences involving two large families of cognition and emotion.
Neuroaesthetics, or neuroesthetics, can roughly be defined as a branch of science that combines neuroscience with aesthetics, studying how the brain processes and responds to aesthetic aspects such as art and beauty. This theory examines the correlation between brain activity and aesthetic experiences, helping to understand the neurobiological basis of art and beauty perception.
The processing of aesthetics involves various parts of the brain working together. Some brain regions involved in aesthetic experiences include:
1. Visual Association Cortex: This part of the brain, especially the secondary visual areas and visual association areas, processes visual information from art or beauty in the environment.
2. Basal Ganglia: Involved in planning movements and sensorimotor experiences that can influence aesthetic perception, especially in the context of movement-based art or dance.
3. Amygdala: Responsible for emotional responses and affective value judgments. In the context of aesthetics, the amygdala can play a role in determining emotional reactions to works of art or beauty.
4. Nucleus Accumbens: A brain region involved in pleasure and reward experiences. Activity here can modulate aesthetic perception and emotional responses to art.
5. Singulate Gyrus: Involved in emotion processing and beauty evaluation. The anterior cingulate gyrus, in particular, may be involved in evaluating aesthetic value.
6. Prefrontal Cortex: Plays a role in executive functions, including planning, decision-making, and impulse control. In the context of aesthetics, the prefrontal cortex can modulate judgments and preferences for works of art.
7. Dopamine System: Involved in pleasure and motivation experiences. Increased dopamine levels can occur in response to enjoyable aesthetic experiences.
When we integrate various structures and functions of the brain related to aesthetics with the triple network model consisting of the SN, DMN, and CEN, a new perspective emerges on humans as sentient beings, skilled in communication and sign exchange, then familiar with love, and becoming seekers of meaning.
References:
Zeki, S. (1999). Art and the Brain. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 6(6–7), 76–96.
Chatterjee, A. (2011). Neuroaesthetics: A coming of age story. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 23(1), 53–62.
Ramachandran, V. S., & Hirstein, W. (1999). The science of art: A neurological theory of aesthetic experience. Journal of Consciousness Studies, 6(6–7), 15–51.
