EGMT 1510: Making Sense

We use our senses every second of our lives—to navigate our world, experience pleasure, avoid danger, and relate to others—in short, to be human. Yet much of our sensory experience happens without our conscious awareness. In this Engagement, we will cut to the heart of aesthetics, by exploring our senses, which make possible our appreciation of beauty and art. We will experience, experiment with, contemplate, and discuss our own sensory experiences, as well as consider the sensory experiences of others. With the help of readings from history, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, and philosophy, we will reflect consciously and critically on sensation and its companion process perception. We will consider questions such as: How many senses are there? Which senses are most important or most highly valued? Can we trust our senses? Do the senses have a history? How do new technologies and media shape our sensory experiences? Do differing conceptions of the senses result in varied understandings of the self?