Zuzana Bariaková – Medzi mozgom a textom: možnosti a limity neurovedeckého prístupu k estetickému zážitku
Zuzana Bariaková
Katedra slovenskej literatúry a literárnej vedy, Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Mateja Bela v Banskej Bystrici, Slovenská republika
Abstract
Between Brain and Text: Possibilities and Limits of the Neuroscientific Approach to Aesthetic Experience
The study investigates the interdisciplinary intersection of literary studies and neuroscience, specifically focusing on the “neuro-turn” in examining aesthetic experience. The primary aim is a critical reflection on the possibilities and limitations of using neurobiological tools to understand literary reception. Methodologically, the paper is anchored in cognitive literary studies, employing a comparative analysis of theoretical frameworks by Paul B. Armstrong (2014) and Patrick Colm Hogan (2011, 2014) alongside an in-depth review of an fMRI study by Adam Zeman et al. (2013). The findings highlight the risks of monistic assumptions that correlate aesthetic experience with specific brain regions while ignoring individual variability. The study differentiates between parallel and complementary emotional responses, illustrating how personal experience dictates neurobiological data. Furthermore, the analysis of the Zeman et al. study reveals a paradox where familiar texts elicit less brain activity, suggesting a process of cognitive automation. The study concludes that while neuroscientific methods offer empirical verification for philological intuitions, their interpretative value is limited without traditional literary analysis. Finally, perspectives on neuroplasticity and empathy development in literary education are outlined.
Keywords: emotion, neuroscience, aesthetic experience, cognitive literary studies, reader response, literary education
