Using the latest advances in neuroscience and evolutionary psychology, Anjan Chatterjee investigates how an aesthetic sense is etched in our minds and explains why art is central to our lives. The author of The Aesthetic Brain: How We Evolved to Desire Beauty and Enjoy Art, Chatterjee takes us on a journey through the world of art, pleasure, and creativity, addressing such fundamental questions as: What is beauty? Is it universal? Should art be beautiful, and do we have an instinct for art?

The virtual talk will be followed by a discussion with Jesse Prinz, professor of philosophy at The Graduate Center, and Barbara Montero, professor of philosophy at the City University of New York.

Anjan Chatterjee is professor and chair of neurology at Pennsylvania Hospital and the founding director of the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics. He is a member of the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Center for Neuroscience and Society at the University of Pennsylvania.