Neuroscience
Interesting article in last week's Times about a recent conference by the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC). George Johnson covered the event, and describes it: "After two days of presentations by scientists and philosophers speculating on how the mind construes, and misconstrues, reality, we were hearing from the pros: James (The Amazing) Randi, Johnny Thompson (The Great Tomsoni), Mac King and Teller — magicians who had intuitively mastered some of the lessons being learned in the laboratory about the limits of cognition and attention."
You can see some tricks from Teller, and some explanations about how his repetition and our assumptions aid the tricks at the video below (approx. 17 minutes).
Teller of "Penn and Teller" TALKS! ¦ about magic, consciousness and the art of visual illusion! from Dean McCall and Vimeo.
And on the ScienceTimes podcast, David Corcoran interviews Teller, who explains in more detail -- and less flourish -- about why his and other magic tricks work. He says that magicians exploit the way we see the world ... just for a minute ... just for fun.
For More Information
* Corcoran, David. ScienceTimes Podcast , August 21, 2007.
* Johnson, George. "Sleights of Mind", New York Times, August 21, 2007.
* Laureys, Steven. Eyes Open, Brain Shut. Scientific American, May2007, Vol. 296 Issue 5, p86-89. Teller refers to this article in which Laureys proves that when eyes don't move, they cease to see. [Full-text available in Academic Search Premier]
* Mind Science Foundation: Magic of Consciousness Symposium – Video Clips.
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Tuck into our latest round-up of the best psych and neuro links: Hear hear! Stop bullying the social sciences - LA Times Op-Ed. Why I am always unlucky but you are always careless - Tom Stafford of Mind Hacks explains. New book that's worth a look,...
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Ulric Neisser died aged 83Tuck into our round-up of the latest and best psych and neuro links: The New York Times published an obituary for cognitive psychology legend Ulric Neisser, who died on Feb 17. Vaughan Bell of Mind Hacks blog reminds us that...
- The Magic Of Consciousness Symposium
This year's ASSOCIATION FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF CONSCIOUSNESS (ASSC) annual meeting in LAS VEGAS: THE CONSCIOUSNESS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD promises to draw your attention and command your awareness! DO NOT MISS the first scientific event to...
- The Magic Of Consciousness: Teller Meet Neuro; Neuro Meet Teller
From today's New York Times: Sleights of Mind By GEORGE JOHNSON Published: August 21, 2007 [ ... Read the article ... ]...
- Signs Of Consciousness
Jerome Groopman has an article in the Oct. 15 issue of the New Yorker. Medical Dispatch: Silent Minds: Reporting & Essays is about consciousness, particularly among those in various degrees of coma. Groopman reports on some fascinating work by the...
Neuroscience
the Magic of Consciousnes, or, Teller Speaks
Interesting article in last week's Times about a recent conference by the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness (ASSC). George Johnson covered the event, and describes it: "After two days of presentations by scientists and philosophers speculating on how the mind construes, and misconstrues, reality, we were hearing from the pros: James (The Amazing) Randi, Johnny Thompson (The Great Tomsoni), Mac King and Teller — magicians who had intuitively mastered some of the lessons being learned in the laboratory about the limits of cognition and attention."
You can see some tricks from Teller, and some explanations about how his repetition and our assumptions aid the tricks at the video below (approx. 17 minutes).
Teller of "Penn and Teller" TALKS! ¦ about magic, consciousness and the art of visual illusion! from Dean McCall and Vimeo.
And on the ScienceTimes podcast, David Corcoran interviews Teller, who explains in more detail -- and less flourish -- about why his and other magic tricks work. He says that magicians exploit the way we see the world ... just for a minute ... just for fun.
For More Information
* Corcoran, David. ScienceTimes Podcast , August 21, 2007.
* Johnson, George. "Sleights of Mind", New York Times, August 21, 2007.
* Laureys, Steven. Eyes Open, Brain Shut. Scientific American, May2007, Vol. 296 Issue 5, p86-89. Teller refers to this article in which Laureys proves that when eyes don't move, they cease to see. [Full-text available in Academic Search Premier]
* Mind Science Foundation: Magic of Consciousness Symposium – Video Clips.
- Feast
Tuck into our latest round-up of the best psych and neuro links: Hear hear! Stop bullying the social sciences - LA Times Op-Ed. Why I am always unlucky but you are always careless - Tom Stafford of Mind Hacks explains. New book that's worth a look,...
- Feast
Ulric Neisser died aged 83Tuck into our round-up of the latest and best psych and neuro links: The New York Times published an obituary for cognitive psychology legend Ulric Neisser, who died on Feb 17. Vaughan Bell of Mind Hacks blog reminds us that...
- The Magic Of Consciousness Symposium
This year's ASSOCIATION FOR THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF CONSCIOUSNESS (ASSC) annual meeting in LAS VEGAS: THE CONSCIOUSNESS CAPITAL OF THE WORLD promises to draw your attention and command your awareness! DO NOT MISS the first scientific event to...
- The Magic Of Consciousness: Teller Meet Neuro; Neuro Meet Teller
From today's New York Times: Sleights of Mind By GEORGE JOHNSON Published: August 21, 2007 [ ... Read the article ... ]...
- Signs Of Consciousness
Jerome Groopman has an article in the Oct. 15 issue of the New Yorker. Medical Dispatch: Silent Minds: Reporting & Essays is about consciousness, particularly among those in various degrees of coma. Groopman reports on some fascinating work by the...