Profs & Pints: How the Brain Creates

Profs & Pints presents: “How the Brain Creates,” a look at scientific research on the human brain’s capacity for inspiration, with Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University and co-author of The Molecule of More. Creative ideas seem to come out of nowhere, often popping into our heads, fully formed, with no apparent work being done on our part. Sometimes creative ideas solve simple problems, other times they revolutionize an industry. Are they divine inspiration? The influence of a friendly muse? Or are they manufactured by hidden circuits within the brain that we’re ordinarily unaware of? Come learn what neuroscience tells us about the creative process from Dr. Lieberman, who previously gave fantastic Profs and Pints talks on brain chemistry and politics based on his book The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity―and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race. In this talk he will review five strategies for activating creative parts of the brain, with illustrations from ancient history and modern life. Our modern economy is no longer based on natural resources or physical labor. It’s based on ideas. Understanding creativity—what it is, where it comes from, and how to stimulate it—gives us the key to understanding progress in the 21st century. Whether the next creative task in front of you involves coming up with a strategic plan, writing a book, or simply doodling, you’ll leave this talk with a much better understanding of how your brain will rise to the challenge. You might even find yourself better at such tasks than you had been before. (Advance tickets: $12, plus sales tax and vendor fees. Doors: $15, or $13 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk starts 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself time to place any orders and get seated and settled in.)