Ann-Sophie Barwich, a philosopher and neuroscientist specializing in olfaction, explains why smell deserves more attention in our understanding of consciousness. She challenges the primacy of vision by highlighting the complexities of the olfactory experience and its interplay with taste. Barwich delves into how molecular structures influence scent perception, and how our context can drastically alter our interpretation of odors. She also explores the fascinating cognitive processes behind wine tasting and discusses how olfactory cues play a significant role in decision-making, particularly in romantic contexts.
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insights INSIGHT
The Importance of Smell
We privilege vision in our understanding of mind and brain, often using visual metaphors even for non-visual concepts.
Smells defy easy categorization using visual terms like boundaries or discreteness, challenging our understanding of perception.
insights INSIGHT
Accuracy of Smell
Smell might be more accurate than vision, as visual illusions easily trick the brain.
Smell provides an accurate measure of context, linking perception to physiology and environment.
insights INSIGHT
Taste vs. Smell
What we commonly call "taste" is largely smell perceived through the back of the nose while chewing.
Flavors like mint or strawberry are perceived through the nose, not taste buds.
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Smellosophy delves into the complexities of olfactory perception, highlighting how smell differs from vision and other senses. It explores the challenges in classifying odors and the role of smell in shaping our understanding of the world. The book also discusses the impact of smell on behavior and emotion, offering insights into how our brains process sensory information.
Out of our heads
Alva Noë
In 'Out of Our Heads', Alva Noë challenges traditional views of consciousness by arguing that it is not solely a product of the brain but rather an achievement of the whole organism interacting with its environment. He critiques the idea that consciousness can be reduced to neural events and instead emphasizes the role of behavior and environmental context in shaping our conscious experience.
We gather empirical evidence about the nature of the world through our senses, and use that evidence to construct an image of the world in our minds. But not all senses are created equal; in practice, we tend to privilege vision, with hearing perhaps a close second. Ann-Sophie Barwich wants to argue that we should take smell more seriously, and that doing so will give us new insights into how the brain works. As a working philosopher and neuroscientist, she shares a wealth of fascinating information about how smell works, how it shapes the way we think, and what it all means for questions of free will and rationality.
Ann-Sophie Barwich received her Ph.D. in Philosophy at the Centre for the Study of the Life Sciences, University of Exeter. She is currently Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and Cognitive Science Program at Indiana University Bloomington. She has previously been a Presidential Scholar in Society and Neuroscience at The Center for Science & Society, Columbia University, and held a Research Fellowship at the Konrad Lorenz Institute for Evolution and Cognition Research, Vienna. Her new book is Smellosophy: What the Nose Tells the Mind.
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