Neuroestetyka: czy przyszłość estetyki leży w neuronauce?

Neuroaesthetics is an interdisciplinary science linking together research in the areas of philosophy, psychology, the history of art, and neuroscience. It is an element within the tendency towards embracing an experimental approach to aesthetics that emerged in the 19th century, and as such constitutes one of the oldest branches of experimental psychology. Those who work in this field are primarily concerned with the following: (a) the influence of neurological damage on changes in artistic creativity, (b) conducting quan titative research and experimentation in the realm of aesthetics, (c) making parallel observations about any relations of dependency that might hold between neuronal states and aesthetic experience. In the article below we mainly consider the last of these. The basic assumptions of classical experimental aesthetics, together with its connections with neuroscience, are first of all briefly presented. Then we outline the general characteristics of the theories of Semir Zeki and Vilayanur Ramachandran, the pioneers of neuroaesthetic research. Following on from this, we undertake a critical analysis of the theories presented, with respect to the adequacy of their way of construing aesthetic experience. We focus on methodological issues essential to the pursuit of neuroaesthetic research.