Music may be the activity that prepared our pre-human ancestors for speech communication and for the very cognitive, representational flexibility necessary to become humans.
Interpretation
Music played a crucial role in the evolution of human communication and cognitive abilities.
The quote by Daniel Levitin suggests that music is not merely an art form but a fundamental activity that might have been essential in the development of early human communication and complex thinking. By engaging with music, our ancestors could have honed their skills in speech and the cognitive flexibility required for more sophisticated forms of interaction, thus paving the way for what it means to be human.
In practice
In a lecture about the role of art in human development, one could use this quote to illustrate the significance of music in fostering communication.
As soon as you hear a proposition, the creative brain in humans assumes for the moment that it's true, and starts trying to find evidence. It's what computer scientists in the old days used to call 'Fifo:' first in, first out. The first piece of information that gets in has a privileged position, even if it's misinformation.
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My art is about paying attention - about the extremely dangerous possibility that you might be art.
People say you're trapped in this genre. You're a horror guy. I say wait a minute - I'm able to say exactly what I think. I'm able to talk about, comment about, take snapshots of what's going on at the time. I don't feel trapped. I feel like this is my way of being able to express myself.
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The artist brain is the sensory brain: sight and sound, smell and taste, touch. These are the elements of magic, and magic is the elemental stuff of art. In filling the well, think magic. Think delight. Think fun. Do not think duty. Do not do what you should do-spiritual sit-ups like reading a dull but recommended critical text. Do what intrigues you, explore what interests you; think mystery, not mastery.
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