Research
Unraveling Neuroscientific Concepts Underlying Jerusalem Syndrome and Neurotheology
Published December 2023
This paper aims to investigate Jerusalem Syndrome, a unique behavioral disorder observed in pilgrims visiting the Holy City, by exploring its defining characteristics and underlying cognitive and neurological mechanisms. The study of Jerusalem Syndrome provides an opportunity to apply neurotheology-the study of the relationship between religion and the brain-to better understand this condition. Furthermore, this paper delves into the implications of studying Jerusalem Syndrome within the broader field of neurotheology and the intersection between religion and the brain. The paucity of literature in this field of study is noted as well. One of the primary sources for this investigation is the work of neuroscientist Michael Persinger, best known for his research involving the Koren-Persinger Helmet, the "God helmet" (Persinger et al., 2010, p. 33). This experimental apparatus was first utilized in 1990 by Persinger to study the effects of subtle stimulation of the temporal lobes on religious experience. The paper delves into various studies that have investigated the activation of the temporal lobes in the brain and their association with religious experiences. Moreover, it explores the potential role of environmental factors and individual predispositions in triggering Jerusalem Syndrome and the connection between temporal epilepsy and hyperreligiosity.
Spheres, Graphs & Diagrams: Mapping Knowledge at the Intersection of Spirituality and Science in Kabbalah & Jesuit Illustrations
November 2023
This paper delves into the symbiotic relationship between visual representation and epistemology in the mystical frameworks of Kabbalah and the Jesuit intellectual tradition. By tracing the shared iconographic techniques of mapping abstract concepts—from the intricate sefirotic structures of Kabbalistic diagrams to Athanasius Kircher's allegorical "Philosophical tree"—the paper examines how these traditions sought to render the metaphysical tangible and the spiritual intelligible. Through a comparative analysis, this study reveals a mutual visual lexicon that emerges at the nexus of science, art, and religion, reflecting an epistemic ambition to reconcile empirical observation with metaphysical inquiry. The paper further interrogates the cultural shift from these complex, symbolically rich representations to modern schematic forms, probing the epistemological and aesthetic implications of this transition for contemporary understandings of knowledge.
The Garden of Google-Earthly Delights: Chance in Art, Music, Computers, and Psyche
Published January 2021
This paper interrogates the aesthetics of chance and the collision between randomness and intention in contemporary digital art. Focusing on Jon Rafman's "Nine Eyes" project, which appropriates accidental imagery captured by Google Street View, this paper explores the interplay between the subjective, interpretive gaze of the artist and the impersonal, mechanized eye of the camera. It draws parallels to the automatism of the Surrealists and the aleatory principles of Dada, wherein randomness and unexpected juxtapositions are embraced as mechanisms for subverting conventional aesthetics and eliciting novel affective responses. By situating Rafman's work within this lineage, the study critically examines how digital and algorithmic processes engender new modes of seeing, interpreting, and constructing meaning in an era increasingly mediated by technology. Ultimately, the paper posits that chance functions not merely as a catalyst for aesthetic innovation, but as a fundamental force that challenges and reconfigures the boundaries of artistic practice and visual culture.
The Synthesis Codex
A zine that about the mapping of knowledge, letters, mysticism, and science, offering an exploration of how we represent and visualize ideas. It considers both conscious and unconscious graphic connections, inviting readers to reflect on the interplay between visual language and conceptual/spiritual understanding. Printed January 2023.
Office/Business Park Sculpture
Archive
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