Understanding The Matter with Things Dialogues Episode 8: Chapter 8 Creativity

This series of dialogues between Iain McGilchrist and Alex Gomez-Marin explores Iain's latest book The Matter with Things. In Episode 8 Iain and Alex discuss Chapter 8, Creativity.

To purchase The Matter with Things

Dr Àlex Gómez-Marín is a Spanish physicist turned neuroscientist. He holds a PhD in theoretical physics and a Masters in biophysics from the University of Barcelona. He was a research fellow at the EMBL-CRG Centre for Genomic Regulation and at the Champalimaud Center for the Unknown in Lisbon. His research spans from the origins of the arrow of time to the neurobiology of action-perception in flies, worms, mice, humans and robots. Since 2016 he is the head of the Behavior of Organisms Laboratory at the Instituto de Neurociencias in Alicante, where he is an Associate Professor of the Spanish Research Council. Combining high-resolution experiments, computational and theoretical biology, and continental philosophy, his latest research concentrates on real-life cognition and consciousness.

[JimZalewski]

I think that some of the most challenging mental health issues with artists stem from challenges that come from being a right hemisphere dominant person in a left hemisphere dominant world. It is so hard to fit in. It is so hard to explain almost everything related to your work. It is so easy to be taken advantage of and even exploited. It is so hard to find a voice (other than through your art). Yet you would give anything to hang on to something that means everything to you and others take for granted even though they envy you. For me, creativity is in a constant state of flow. And it is my art that keeps me sane.
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[cheri]

This is one of my favorite chapters in your book, Dr. McGilchrist. Although, all chapters are important.
You and Alex are very special and make things enlightening to all of us.
I had written things down before several months back, and I was trying to add to it.
Writing on a cellphone is difficult for me. (Actually, I do not pretend that I don't care for them too much.)
There is light and dark in technology.
But there again, I could not acquire more knowledge about certain things if I did not have one, such as listening to you.
I finally recently attained one several years back. Sadly for me, in most cases, technology I am not rather fond of. I held out to end with holding my breath until there was another world I could gather light and dark in.
I must add that I do not write well on them. I have always written with pen and paper and then made corrections in punctuation and spelling since I was a child.
With the deepest appreciation and respect for all these lectures, your inspiring books, your dedication and hardwork in your distinguished fields you applied yourself in and for thinking outside the box with all others who share theirs with you in various fields without wanting to be right, but further come to an understanding for the betterment of our world and humanity

[christineflannery]

Thank you so much for these illuminating dialogues and for making them available ad free.

[Bartisim]

Thank you for an exquisitely beautiful
and transformative conversation.

[bookchaser]

Thank you for this excellent series. So most of McGilchrist fans want to read his book of literary criticism, but I forgot he wrote poetry himself. I'd love for someone to ask him if he'd ever consider publishing any or whether it was just for his own pleasure ....

[Bartisim]

The commentary on modernism and postmodernism is striking.

[sherieharkins]

A joy to ponder these ideas and open myself to the possibilities, thank you both for so generously sharing your thoughts and time.

[allanrogers]

"I learned to walk by walking, I learned to talk by talking, and yet people ask how I learn to be creative".
Those paintings in the book that show pre and post stroke images of the artist's children are terrifying. Like the most intense horror movie. I found that quite disturbing to see, but it exemplifies the whole message brilliantly.

[abcrane]

I find swimming the breast stroke opens my creative “mental space” very profoundly and joyously. When I swim the front crawl I go into a more goal oriented space. When I swam the breast stroke I would see whole scenes play out of the screenplay I was writing “scrolling” in the water. The front crawl was just more linear like accomplishing the swim session. I believe the breast stroke opened the creativity due to the symmetry of the stroke, both right and left body doing the same thing simultaneously. This bridged my athletic and artistic Selves. Perhaps a synthesis between body and mind necessary to our healthful abundant existence .

[bertusvooijs]

I wonder how stress (of various kinds) affect de left and right hemisphere and the interaction between them.

[maryjo]

I just want to say thank you both for these informative and fascinating conversations on a subject about which, sad to say, I knew almost nothing. I am learning so much from them. At the present time I am reading The Master and His Emissary and at some point will read The Matter with Things. It's slow going but I am enjoying the journey.

[charlesmartel]

Just read The Master and His Emissary and was amazed at the author's ability to clarify the most complex problems. As a musician, I especially appreciated his grasp of what happened to Western art music in the 20th century. Looking forward to reading The Matter with Things.

[toomanydonuts]

The gift of knowledge from the greatest minds in the world. This is very special and stimulates knew thoughts and ideas that are profoundly helpful to me. Thanks Doctor McGhilchrist for sharing your very kind and helpful self with me.

[bobdillaber]

Such an illuminating way to understand human behavior. I never fail to learn many new things while watching all of your discussions.

[deirdrewalsh]

As an artist I have spent much of my life living freely in a world of - almost fantasy, and creativity is usually no stranger. However when I have to “snap out of it into the real world” it can be like a bucket of cold water in my face and I don’t do so well. That makes working to a commission almost impossible. I feel as if there is a glass wall between me and the world.

[channelmcgilchristcommunit]

So glad to see a longer episode this time around. Love this series!

[Belznis]

Indeed, very excellent series with so much knowledge given for free. Thank you!

[ryfree]

Thank you so much for this episode. I've been going through them little by little and enjoying them very much.

[CarolPricep]

Very interesting, and what a lovely example of creative art on the wall behind the doctor's right ear...

[judithgervais]

Do any of you know if there is a plan to create an audible version of "The Matter With Things"?