GOOD AFTERNOON. I AM JEFF RESNICK -- CHIEF OF THE DIVISION-- NIH. THIS IS COSPONSORED BY THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES IN THE ONGOING -- PARTNERSHIPS AND ON HISTORY TALKS WOULD PROMOTE THE WELLNESS AND USE OF ALM FOR RESEARCH EDUCATION AND PUBLIC SERVICE IN BIOMEDICINE, SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HUMANITIES. THE SERIES ALSO SUPPORTS THE COMMITMENT OF THE NLM TO RECOGNIZE THE DIVERSITY OF ITS COLLECTIONS WHICH SPAN 10 CENTURIES AND ENCOMPASS A RANGE OF DIGITAL AND PHYSICAL FORMATS AND ORIGINATE FROM NEARLY EVERY PART OF THE GLOBE AS WELL AS THE COMMITMENT FROM THE INSTITUTION TO THE DIVERSITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO VALUE THESE COLLECTIONS AND USE THEM TO ADVANCE THE RESEARCH, TEACHING AND LEARNING AND WE SUPPLEMENT THESE TALKS WITH SPEAKER INTERVIEWS ON OUR BLOG CALLED CIRCULATING NOW, LOCATING AT CIRCULATING NOW.NLM.NIH.GOV. AND I WOULD LIKE THIS TO TURN OVER TO DOCTOR BRENNAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH DOCTOR RESNICK, JEFF. WELCOME TO MY COLLEAGUES WHO ARE GOING TO BE SPEAKING TODAY BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY WELCOME TO THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE TAKING TIME TO LISTEN AND TO THINK AND TO FOCUS ON THE INTEGRATION OF HUMANITIES AND MEDICAL INFORMATION. THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AS A LEADER IN BIOMEDICAL INFORMATION RESEARCH INCLUDING BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE AND ARE HOLDING SPIN 10 CENTURIES. MOST OF THE HOLDINGS ARE AVAILABLE ELECTRONIC BUT MANY ONLY AVAILABLE ON-SITE, AND AS WE RENOVATE OUR BUILDING WE WELCOME YOU TO COME JOIN US. DOCTOR RESNICK AND HIS TEAM HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB FINDING WAYS FOR US TO INTEGRATE THIS WITH PARTNERS AND AGENCIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WE HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES WHICH HELP US TO DEVELOP INITIATIVES THAT EXPLORE THE INTERSECTION OF BIOMEDICAL AND HUMANITIES RESEARCH PARTICULARLY RESEARCH AT THE INTERDISCIPLINARY SECTION, THE CORNER STORE OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE'S MISSION TO SERVE SCIENCE AND SOCIETY AND TO BE AN ENGINE WITHIN THE NIH TO TURN DISCOVERY INTO HEALTH OUR PARTICULAR FOCUS IS TO TURN KNOWLEDGE INTO INFORMATION AND INFORMATION INTO DISCOVERY SO WE ARE PRETTY KEY TO THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH'S APPROACH IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE BELIEVES AND PARTNERSHIPS WHICH ARE SO CRITICAL TO ADVANCING NOT ONLY THE WHAT WE KNOW AND WHAT WE LEARN TO RESEARCH BUT ALSO TO EXPAND ACCESS TO TRUSTED INFORMATION RESOURCES. --- THE PANDEMIC HAS TAUGHT US OVER AND OVER THAT PHYSICAL ACCESS IS IMPORTANT. DIGITAL ACCESS IS ALSO REQUIRED, AND AS JEFF HAS TAUGHT ME PRESERVING FORM AND FUNCTION OF OUR HISTORICAL ARTIFACTS IS A VERY CHALLENGING THING TO DO IN THE TOTAL ELECTRONIC ENVIRONMENT. THE CONVERSATION SUCH AS THE ONE YOU WILL HAVE TODAY IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN ADVANCE THIS KIND OF INTERACTION. --- INTERACTIONS LIKE THIS, IT HELPS THE NLM TO REACH OUT INTERACT WITH NEW AUDIENCES. SPECIFICALLY OUR FOCUS ON MEDICAL INFORMATICS HAS AN EMERGING FOCUS IN THIS PARTICULAR TALK IS OF INCREDIBLE RELEVANCE TO US AND ONE AND COLLABORATORS HERE TODAY TO DOCTOR MICHAEL CHANG, THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE AND ALSO A SPECIALIST IN MEDICAL INFORMATICS TICKLY RELATED TO THE USE OF ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS. I AM DELIGHTED TO HAVE HIM HERE TODAY, THIS INFORMATION IS QUITE CENTRAL TO WHAT WILL BE WILL TALK TODAY. >> DR. CHANG: THANK YOU VERY MUCH PATTY AND DOCTOR BRANDON ALSO THANK YOU FOR THE PRIVILEGE OF HAVING ME JOIN IN THESE PROCEEDINGS. AT THE NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE OUR MISSION IS TO ELIMINATE VISION LOSS AND AN IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH VISION RESEARCH AND ONE OF THE REASONS WE FEEL THIS IS IMPORTANT IS THAT IT IS NOT SURPRISE ANYBODY THAT MULTIPLE SURVEYS OF SOUND THAT BLINDNESS AND VISION LOSS ARE AMONG THOSE CONDITIONS THAT PEOPLE FEAR THE MOST. --- AND ONE OF THE REASONS THE HIND THAT IS THAT VISION IS JUST ONE OF THE MAIN WAYS THAT WE EXPERIENCE THE WORLD. VISION IS JUST A REALLY CRITICAL LINK TO HUMAN EMOTION. AND SO WE ARE REALLY PROUD THAT OUR RESEARCH PORTFOLIO THE NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE ADDRESSES THOSE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES. AS SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN BOTH THE CLINICIAN AND THE RESEARCHER FOR 20 YEARS, I AM AWARE OF THE ART OF TAKING CARE OF OTHER PEOPLE AND IN THE 21ST CENTURY WILL NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO REMEMBER THE ROLE OF ART IN THE CARE DELIVERY PROCESS AND SO IN THAT SPIRIT IT IS MY PRIVILEGE IS NOW TO INTRODUCE THE CURRENT CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES, SHELLEY LOW (SOUNDS LIKE) WHO IS GOING TO INTRODUCE INTERESTING SPEAKER. >> THANK YOU DOCTOR CHANG AND THANK YOU DOCTOR BRENNAN FOR HOSTING THIS TALKING FOR THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE ONGOING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NIH. GIVING ALL AMERICANS OPPORTUNITY TO DISSIPATE IN EDUCATION AND A PARTNERSHIP STRENGTH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE HUMANITIES AND MEDICINE SO THESE FIELDS CAN REMAIN A DIALOGUE WITH EACH OTHER TO ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AS IT WAS IN THE PAST, AS IT IS TODAY, AND AS IT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE. --- OUR SPEAKER IS IDEALLY SUITED TO ADDRESS THESE PERSPECTIVES AT INTERSECTIONS AND THROUGH HIS RESEARCH IN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE MEDICINE COLLECTION AND OTHER REPOSITORIES OF KNOWLEDGE. IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE DR. WILLIAM BROE ADAMS TENTH CHAIRMAN OF THE NIH, AND HE HAS CONTINUED HIS WORK AS A VOCAL ADVOCATE FOR THE HUMANITIES AND HAS SERVED AS A SENIOR FELLOW AT THE MELLON FOUNDATION. WHILE STILL FINDING TIME TO PURSUE SCHOLARLY RESEARCH RELATED TO HIS LONG-HELD PASSION FOR FRENCH PHILOSOPHY AND ART. --- HE JOINS US TODAY TO SHARE HIS RESEARCH ON THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHER MAURICE MARLE -- AND I TURN IT OVER TO YOU. >> GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING JEFF RESNICK. I KNOW HOW BUSY YOU ARE AND I'M HONORED BY YOUR PRESENCE AND I AM PLEASED TO SEE MY FRIEND IN COLLEGE SHELLEY LOW, AND I AM IMPRESSED BY THE GREAT WORK YOU ARE DOING AS CHAIR OF THE NIH AND THE AGENCY IS WONDERFUL, CAPABLE HANDS AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST WANT TO THANK ALL OF THOSE AMONG YOU WHO ARE TUNING IN TODAY VIRTUALLY TO HEAR THESE REMARKS, . I WILL BEGIN WITH A BRIEF STORY. SOMETIME TOWARDS THE BEGINNING OF MY TERM AS CHAIR OF THE NIH I WAS BRIEFED ABOUT THE IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE AGENCY AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. --- JEFF RESNICK INVITED ME TO VISIT THE LIBRARY AND I SPENT A FULL MORNING THERE TOURING FACILITIES AND MEETING JEFF'S COLLEAGUES IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT THE LIBRARY'S COLLABORATION WITH THE NIH. AND PRIOR TO MY VISIT I KNEW ALMOST NOTHING ABOUT THE LIBRARY AND I WAS STARTLED FRANKLY BY THE SCOPE OF THE INSTITUTION, IT'S AMBITION AT ITS EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCES. --- I WAS ALSO STRUCK BY THE LIBRARY'S COMMITMENT TO THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL PRACTICE WHICH CONNECTS IT VERY NATURALLY TO THE HUMANITIES AND THE WORK OF NIH. AND I WAS ESPECIALLY IMPRESSED BY THE ARCHIVAL COLLECTIONS BY THE RARITY BOOKS AND A BEAUTIFUL READING ROOM WERE SCHOLARS COULD EXPLORE THESE AND OTHER REMARKABLE BOOKS. --- ONE OF THE BOOKS OF THE FIRST EDITION OF REN� DESCARTES, THE DISCOURSE ON METHODS AND THE ESSAYS ON OPTICS, METEOROLOGY AND THE GEOMETRY PUBLISHED IN LIDEN, NETHERLANDS IN 1637, NEARLY 400 YEARS AGO. WITH BARELY CONTAINED EXCITEMENT I ASKED JEFF AND HIS COLLEAGUE MICHAEL NORTH IF I MIGHT COME BACK AND SPEND TIME WITH THIS AND OTHER WORKS BY DESCARTES. AND OF COURSE THEY REPLIED. GIVE US SEVERAL DAYS NOTICE SO WE CAN HAVE EVERYTHING READY FOR YOU. --- SOME MONTHS LATER I DID GO BACK, FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016. ANOTHER DATE BECAUSE I WAS PERMITTED TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE WORKS REQUESTED AND THEY ARE ALL DATE STAMPED AND I SPENT THE BETTER PART OF THE DAY IN THE READING ROOM POURING OVER THE ONE I REQUESTED AND TAKING NOTES ON MY REACTIONS. IT WAS A RICH AND MEMORABLE EXPERIENCE. --- BUT WHY DESCARTES? ANOTHER STORY, AND A BIT OF PHILOSOPHY. PRIOR TO JOINING NIH I STARTED WORK ON A BOOK, AN AWFULLY LONG BOOK AS IT TURNS OUT STILL UNFINISHED ABOUT THE FRENCH PHILOSOPHER MERLEAU-PONTY, DESCARTES AND THE FRENCH PAINTER PAUL CESSANT, AND HISTORICAL AND SOCIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT INFLUENCED THEIR WORK. THE DEMANDS OF MY APPOINTMENT AT NIH KEPT ME FROM COMPLETING THE WORK. MERLEAU-PONTY SPENT THE REST OF HIS LIFE IN PARIS TEACHING AND THE FRENCH UNIVERSITY SYSTEM WRITING ON A WIDE ARRAY OF SUBJECT INCLUDING PHILOSOPHY, AESTHETICS, POLITICS AND LANGUAGE AND HE WAS A CENTRAL FIGURE IN THE POST WORLD WAR II EXISTENTIALIST MOVEMENT THAT INCLUDED JEAN PAUL SATRE, SIMONE DE BOVARD AND OTHERS. MERLEAU-PONTY PHILOSOPHY IS BUILT AROUND A SINGLE EXTERNALLY WRITTEN SITE. HE ARTICULATE THAT INSIGHT IN DIVERSE WAYS OVER TIME ENRICHING AND DEEPENING ITS MEANING IN THE LANGUAGE HE USED TO EXPRESS IT BUT NEVER ALTERING HIS FUNDAMENTAL SENSE OF DIRECTION AND HIS INSIGHT IS THIS: "THE PERCEIVED WORLD THE WORLD REVEALED WAS OUR SENSES AND THE DAILY LIFE IS ALWAYS THE PRESUPPOSED FOUNDATION OF ALL REALITY, ALL VALUE AND ALL EXISTENCE." --- PERCEPTION IS THE PRINCIPLE INTEREST, THE GOLDMINE, THE HOLY GRAIL OF PHILOSOPHY. FOR MERLEAU-PONTY, ALL MAJOR PHILOSOPHICAL PROBLEMS, IN NATURE AND ORIGIN OF TRUTH, CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE RELATIONSHIP IT IN MIND AND BODY AND MIND AND WORLD, THE NATURE OF REALITY ITSELF LEAD BACK TO PERCEPTION. THE ULTIMATE TASK OF PHILOSOPHY THEN, IS TO REVEAL THE INNER WORKINGS OF PERCEPTION. AND TO DEMONSTRATE HOW THEY GROUND AND CONNECT ALL THE FACETS OF HUMAN LIFE AND EXPERIENCE, INCLUDING THE VARIOUS DOMAINS OF KNOWLEDGE. --- THE EPICENTER OF THE PERCEIVED WORLD, AS MERLEAU-PONTY UNDERSTOOD IT, IS THE HUMAN BODY, WHICH IS THE ULTIMATE ANCHOR AND AGENT OF PERCEPTION. THE HUMAN BODY IS REMARKABLE OWING BOTH TO ITS MANIFOLD SENSING POWERS, PERFECTLY TUNED TO THE INSPECTION AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE WORLD; AND TO ITS CAPACITY TO COORDINATE AND ORGANIZE THOSE POWERS AND THE SEAMLESSNESS OF PERCEPTUAL EXPERIENCE. THE BODY IS ALL. --- THIS TURN AWAY FROM THE TRADITIONAL PHILOSOPHICAL PREOCCUPATIONS, WITH THE MIND, CONSCIOUSNESS OR IDEAS AND TOWARDS THE BODY IS ONE OF THE MOST RADICAL AND IMPORTANT INNOVATIONS IN MERLEAU-PONTY'S PHILOSOPHY. --- MERLEAU-PONTY WAS INTENSELY INTERESTED IN ALL OF THE PERCEPTUAL POWERS AND MODALITIES OF THE BODY. BUT THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT THE BODY'S POWER OF VISION, ITS POWER OF SEEING WAS FIRST AMONG EQUALS. VISION IS SPECIAL BECAUSE IT EXTENDS PERCEPTUAL EXPERIENCE WELL BEYOND THE PERIMETER OF THE BODY. PERMITTING US TO INSPECT AND KNOW THE WORLD AT A DISTANCE. PATIENT IS IN THIS SENSE STATIC AND MERLEAU-PONTY NEVER CEASES TO EXPRESS HIS WONDER AND AMAZEMENT AT THE WAY IN WHICH THE POWER OF SEEING THRUSTS US INTO THE WORLD. --- GIVEN HIS INTEREST IN SENSE PERCEPTION AND THE BODY, AND ESPECIALLY THE BODY'S POWER OF VISION, IT IS NOT SURPRISING THAT MERLEAU-PONTY WAS DEEPLY INTERESTED IN PAINTING AND ESPECIALLY IN THE PAINTING OF PAUL CESSAN, AND HE IMAGINED PAINTERS AS TRAVELERS AND THEN EXPLOITED TERRAIN OF VISION AND THE AESTHETIC POWER AND APPEAL OF PAINTING HE FOUND THE DEEPER SORT OF PHILOSOPHICAL SIGNIFICANCE. --- EXPLORING AND DESCRIBING OUR PERCEPTUAL HABITAT AS HE SOMETIMES DESCRIBED IT, WOULD SEEM TO BE A STRAIGHTFORWARD MATTER AFTER ALL IT IS WHAT WE KNOW BEST AND MOST OF THE TIME. IN FACT IT IS NOT SO EASY. WE ARE SO AT HOME IN PERCEPTUAL LIFE AND EXPERIENCE SO ACCUSTOMED TO ITS RICHNESS AND COMPLEXITY SO DEEPLY EMBEDDED IN THIS CONSTANT ACHIEVEMENT THAT WE NEVER REALLY SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS. AND WE ARE BURDENED BY SEVERAL CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS AND ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND IS THE EXPECTATION WE ARE EXPECTED TO APPLY TO THE WORLD OF APPEARANCES AND WHAT WE KNOW OF THE WORLD THROUGH OUR SENSES. --- ENTER DESCARTES. AS AN ASPIRING YOUNG FRENCH PHILOSOPHER IN THE 1920S, MERLEAU-PONTY CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE BEEN EXPECTED TO KNOW DESCARTES, BUT ACROSS HIS CAREER, DESCARTES HAD SPECIAL AND ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE AND HE REFERS TO HIM BECAUSE OF ITS EARLY WORKS IN PERCEPTION AND IN THE LAST YEARS OF HIS LIFE HE RETURNED TO A DEEP EXPLORATION OF DESCARTES'S METAPHYSICS AND HIS THEORIES OF VISION AND LIGHT, AND HIS TEACHING AT THE COLEGE DE FRANCE AND IN HIS LAST BOOK, I AM MIND, WORK ON VISION AND PAINTING. --- A COPY OF DESCARTES'S WORK WAS FOUND ON HIS DESK WHERE MERLEAU-PONTY DIED FROM A MASSIVE HEART ATTACK IN 1931. --- IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THIS MIGHT'VE BEEN PAINTED BY SOMEBODY IN THE SCHOOL OR EVEN ANOTHER PAINTER BUT IT NOW HANGS IN THE LOUVRE IN PARIS AND IT IS ONE OF THE GREAT IMAGES OF DESCARTES. I WILL COME BACK TO THIS AND DUTCH PAINTING IN GENERAL IN A LITTLE BIT. --- MERLEAU-PONTY'S INTEREST IN DESCARTES WAS DEEPLY AMBIVALENT. ON THE ONE HAND HE ADMIRED DESCARTES'S EXTRAORDINARY AMBITION AND HIS REFLECTIVE CAST OF MIND. DESCARTES FIRST QUESTION, WHO AND WHAT AM I? THIS BEING WHO THINKS ABOUT THE WORLD AND HIMSELF IS A TOUCHSTONE FOR EVERY IMPORTANT PHILOSOPHICAL ENDEAVOR. --- ON THE OTHER HAND, MERLEAU-PONTY BELIEVED THAT THE ANSWERS DESCARTES GAVE TO THESE QUESTIONS WERE DEEPLY FLAWED. QUOTE, "DESCARTES WENT SO FAR AS TO SAY THAT SIMPLY BY SCRUTINIZING OBJECTS, I AM ABLE TO DISCOVER THAT MY SENSE IS DECEIVED ME, AND I LEARNED ONLY TO TRUST MY INTELLECT." --- HENCEFORTH, THE ONLY DEPENDABLE SOURCES OF TRUTH AND CERTAINTY ARE THE CLEAR AND DISTINCT IDEAS THE MIND ARRIVES AT AFTER IT WITHDRAWS FROM EXPERIENCE, AND TURNS TOWARDS THE CLARITY OF PERFECTLY RATIONAL CONSTRUCTIONS. IN THE WAKE OF THE SKEPTICISM AND RATIONALIST TURN, A SERIES OF DEEPLY PROBLEMATIC DUALISMS-- BETWEEN THE MIND AND BODY, SUBJECT AND OBJECT, MIND AND MATTER, THINKING SUBSTANCE AND EXTENDED SUBSTANCE TO USE DESCARTES'S LANGUAGE-- BEGIN TO ASSERT THEMSELVES IN THE FORWARD PROGRESS OF EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHY AND SCIENCE. --- IN MERLEAU-PONTY'S VIEW, THE MODERN WORLD, OUR WORLD IS ONE CATEGORIZED BY THE CULTURAL IMPLANTATION OF THE METHODS AND FINDINGS OF NATURAL SCIENCE AND DID THE DIVERGENCE OF THOSE FINDINGS FROM PERCEPTUAL LIFE AND EXPERIENCE. MERLEAU-PONTY WAS ESPECIALLY INTERESTED IN APPLICATIONS OF DESCARTES RATIONALISM FOR THE UNDERSTANDINGS OF HUMAN BODY AND VISION, AND AS PART OF THE MATERIAL WORLD OF THE RAISE IN EXTENSA AS DESCARTES CALLED IT, ANIMAL AND HUMAN BODIES COULD BE THOUGHT OF AS MECHANICAL SYSTEMS OR MACHINES ARE LIKE EVERY OTHER PART OF THE MATERIAL WORLD THOSE SYSTEMS CAN BE COMPREHENDED IN STRICTLY MECHANICAL TERMS. --- VISION IS A VERY GOOD EXAMPLE. WE SEE THE WORLD, OR WE HAVE IMAGES OF THE WORLD -- DESCARTES ARGUED-- OWING TO THE MECHANICAL EFFECTS OF LIGHT WAVES ON OPTICAL MACHINERY OF THE EYE. THE MIND, THE RAISE COVITANTS (SOUNDS LIKE) AS DESCARTES CALLED IT, RECEIVES AND INTERPRETS THESE PHYSICAL SIGNALS AND CREATES IMAGES THAT CONSTITUTE SITE. DESCARTES PROPOSED THAT WE THINK OF SIGHT AS ANALYSIS WHEN IT HAPPENS WHEN THE BLIND PERSON USES A CANE TO NEGOTIATE THE WORLD OF OBJECTS. WHEN IT TOUCHES AN OBJECT, THE CANE TRANSMITS A PHYSICAL IMPULSE ALONG ITS LENGTH TO THE HAND, FROM THE HAND TO THE ARM, FROM THE ARM TO THE BRAIN AND SO ON, UNTIL THE SIGNAL IS DECODED AS IT WERE BY THE MIND, WHERE THE IMAGE OF THE OBJECT IS FINALLY FORMED. --- THE CARTESIAN CONCEPT OF VISION, MERLEAU-PONTY NOTES, IS MODELED AFTER THE SENSE OF TOUCH. THINKING OF THE BODY IS A MECHANICAL DIVIDE OR MACHINES MAY SEEM ODD TO US OWING TO THE PREDOMINANCE OF CELL BIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY MEDICINE WE ARE INCLINED TO MORE ORGANIC MODELS. BUT THE MECHANICAL VIEW IS STILL ROOM PRESENT IN CERTAIN FORMS OF MECHANICAL SIGNS WITH THE BRAIN IS MODELED AS A DIGITAL MACHINE, AT COMPUTER IN FACT. AND THINKING AS A FORM OF DIGITAL PROCESSES. DESCARTES IS A GHOST IN THE MACHINE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. --- ON THE DAY I PLAYED HOOKY FROM THE NIH I DRIVE EARLY AT THE LIBRARY'S READING ROOM AND FOUND SEVERAL VOLUMES OF DESCARTES'S WORK WAITING FOR ME AND INCLUDED THE FIRST EDITION OF DESCARTES'S FIRST PUBLISHED BOOK, DISCOURSE ON METHOD, WITH ITS ATTACHED ESSAYS, THE OPTICS, THE METEOROLOGY AND GEOMETRY PUBLISHED IN LIDEN IN 1637, THE FIRST LATIN EDITION OF IT PUBLISHED IN 1864 AND THE FIRST PREVENTION LATIN EDITION OF THE WORLD AND MAN PUBLISHED IN PARIS IN 1664, MORE THAN A DECADE AFTER DESCARTES'S DEATH. --- I HAD SEVERAL STRONG SENSATIONS AS I BEGAN LOOKING THROUGH THESE WORKS. ANYWHERE COULD NOT HAVE ANTICIPATED IT WAS THRILLING TO HOLD THESE OBJECTS SO CLOSE IN SPACE AND TIME TO THE MOMENT AND SOURCE OF THEIR CREATION. AND SO DISTANT FROM OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES. --- IT IS NOT JUST THAT THEY LOOK OLD-- THEY DO AND THEY ARE-- THEY ALSO OBVIOUSLY HANDMADE OBJECTS, ARTICLES OF CRAFT RATHER THAN MASS MACHINE PRODUCTION. EACH ONE A BIT DIFFERENT, IDIOSYNCRATIC, UNIQUE. --- AT THIS MOMENT IN PUBLISHING, BOOKS WERE VERY MUCH ARTISANAL, HANDCRAFTED OBJECTS LIKE ILLUMINATED MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AURA. AND YET THEIR CONTENT AND UNDERLINING AMBITION ARE UNMISTAKABLY MODERN AND FAMILIAR. DESCARTES'S INITIAL TITLE FOR THE DISCOURSE ON METHOD WAS "THE PLAN OF A UNIVERSAL SCIENCE CAPABLE OF RAISING OUR NATURE TO ITS HIGHEST DEGREE OF PERFECTION IN ADDITION THE OPTICS, METEOROLOGY AND -- AND SO THE AUTHOR COULD GET PROOF OF THE UNIVERSAL SCIENCE CAN EXPLAIN THE MOST OBTUSE TOPICS HE COULD CHOOSE AND THUS IN SUCH A WAY THAT EVEN PERSONS WHO HAD NEVER STUDIED THEM CAN UNDERSTAND THEM." --- THAT IS A MOUTHFUL. AND ONE CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE PUBLISHER REQUIRED SOMETHING SHORTER. BUT EVEN IN ITS FINISHED FORM, THE TITLE CONVEYS THE BREATHTAKING REACH OF DESCARTES'S AMBITION. THE UNIVERSAL SCIENTIFIC METHOD. APPLICABLE IN PRINCIPLE TO EVERY ASPECT AND DIMENSION OF THE NATURAL WORLD, AND YIELDING CERTAIN KNOWLEDGE THAT IN PRINCIPLE AT LEAST IS UNIVERSALLY ACCESSIBLE. --- LIVING AS WE DO IN A WORLD SATURATED WITH SCIENCE, THIS ASPECT OF DESCARTES'S AMBITIOUS PROGRAM SEEMS SIMILAR. AND THE IMPLICITLY DEMOCRATIC ASPECT OF UNIVERSAL ACCESS, UNDERSCORED BY DESCARTES'S DECISION TO PUBLISH THE FIRST EDITION OF THE DISCOURSE IN FRENCH, NOT LATIN, ALSO SEEMS-- AND IS-- QUITE MODERN. --- IT IS ALSO NOTABLE THAT THE FIRST FRENCH EDITION OF THE DISCOURSE ON METHOD DOES NOT DISPLAY ITS AUTHOR'S NAME. DESCARTES WAS HAUNTED THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE BY THE PROSPECT OF REPRESSION BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. HE HAD GOOD REASON TO WORRY. IN 1633, FOUR YEARS BEFORE THE PUBLICATION OF THE DISCOURSE ON METHOD, GALILEO WAS ARRESTED, TRIED AND CONVICTED OF HERESY BY THE INQUISITION IN ITALY. DESCARTES WAS FULLY AWARE OF GALILEO'S FATE. AND THOUGH HE AVOIDED THE TOPIC OF HIDO CENTRISM (SOUNDS LIKE)FOR SCIENTIFIC METHOD, IS RATIONALISM AND ENTHUSIASM FOR THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD GENERALLY ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF THE RELIGIOUS AUTHORITIES. BETTER TO LIVE IN PROTESTANT NETHERLANDS AS DESCARTES DID, THAN IN CATHOLIC FRANCE. --- BUT WHAT REALLY GRABBED MY ATTENTION THAT THEY WERE THE ILLUSTRATIONS THAT DESCARTES DESIGNED TO ACCOMPANY THESE BOOKS. I'D SEEN REPRODUCTIONS OF THESE IMAGES IN VARIOUS PLACES BUT I HAD NEVER SEEN THEM IN THE ORIGINAL CONTEXT. AS INTEGRAL PIECES OF THE WRITTEN WORK, DESIGNED TO ILLUSTRATE THE IDEAS PRESENTED IN THE TEXT. --- THE IMAGES ARE WOODCUTS AND COPPER ENGRAVINGS, ALL DESIGNED BY DESCARTES AND EXECUTED BY ARTISANS COLLABORATING WITH THE AUTHOR AND HIS PUBLISHERS IN LIDEN AND LATER PARIS. --- AND LIKE THE BOOKS THEMSELVES THEY TOO HAVE A HANDCRAFTED AURA, WELL AND EXPERTLY MADE, BUT STILL VERY MUCH ARTISANAL OBJECTS. AND THE PHYSICAL WORK THEY PRODUCE THEM, THE GOUGING, ETCHING, INKING AND ROLLING AS PART OF THEIR VISUAL CHARACTER AND IMPACT. ONE SENSES IMMEDIATELY THAT THEY WERE PRODUCED BY SOMEONE, COPY BY COPY, PAGE BY PAGE. --- BY WAY OF CONTENT, THE IMAGES ARE EQUALLY FASCINATING. TO THE MODERNIZE THEY ARE ALSO A BIT STRANGE. SOME OF THE STRANGENESS IS FROM THE ODD COMBINATIONS AND JUXTAPOSITION INCLUDED IN THE CONFIGURATION. HE DEPLOYED IMAGES AS AIDS TO THE UNDERSTANDING OF HIS PHILOSOPHICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ARGUMENTS. HIS REMARKABLE POLYMATHIC IMAGINATION BRACING MATHEMATICS, METEOROLOGY, ANATOMY AND METAPHYSICS WAS VISUAL AS WELL AS CONCEPTUAL. THIS SEEMS PERFECTLY NORMAL TO US. WE ARE ACCUSTOMED TO VISUALIZATION IN SCIENCE. THINK OF THE SCIENTIFIC IMAGES THAT HAVE BECOME FIXED ELEMENTS OF OUR VISUAL LANDSCAPE AND CULTURE. THE DOUBLE HELIX FOR EXAMPLE. OR THE MORE RECENT CORONAVIRUS. --- BUT RECALL TOO THAT DESCARTES'S METHOD BEGINS BY INSISTING ON WITHDRAWAL FROM SENSE EXPERIENCE IN FAVOR OF PURELY MATHEMATICAL CONSTRUCTIONS. WHY THEN THE RECOURSE TO ILLUSTRATION AND VISUAL IMAGE? IS INSTRUCTION A PROP ON THE PASSAGE FROM SENSE EXPERIENCED TO PURE REASON? OR TWO IMAGES CONTAIN SOMETHING VITAL AND ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING? THE CLEAR AND DISTINCT IDEAS-- THE HOLY GRAIL OF THE CARTESIAN WORLDVIEW-- REQUIRES SOME FORM OF VISUAL ENVIRONMENT? CAN THE MIND EVER REALLY DETACH ITSELF FROM THE BODY? IS EMBODIMENT ESSENTIAL TO THINKING? --- IN HIS LAST PUBLISHED ESSAY, EYE AND MIND, MERLEAU-PONTY INCLUDED A LONG DIGRESSION ON DESCARTES'S THEORY OF VISION. DESCARTES'S PREFERENCE FOR ENGRAVINGS AND WOODCUTS WAS NO ACCIDENT, HE SUGGESTS IT FLOWS DIRECTLY FROM DESCARTES'S CONCEPTION OF SPACE, VISION AND LIGHT. AND DESCARTES RIGIDLY BIFURCATED WORLD OF PHYSICAL THINGS AND MENTAL THINGS. THE ENTIRELY OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE IS A VAST MECHANISM SUBJECT IS SIMPLE AND RIGID MECHANICAL LAWS. --- SPACE IS MERE PHYSICAL EXTENSION, THUS CONCEIVED AND PICTURED AS A STRAIGHT LINE. LIGHT IS A PRESSURE WAVE TRANSMITTED TO THE EYE THROUGH AN ELASTIC MEDIUM. PATIENT IS THE EFFECT OF MATERIAL FORCES ON OUR ORGANS. AND THE MAGIC OF THE VISION, IT'S STATIC AND ILLUSORY ASPECT -- IT IS THE SECOND EFFECT OF THE PRIMARY PHYSICAL PROCESSES THAT ARE ENTIRELY MECHANICAL IN NATURE. --- AS AN ILLUSTRATOR, DESCARTES PREFERRED WOODCUTS AND ENGRAVINGS, MERLEAU-PONTY ARGUES, PRECISELY BECAUSE OF THEIR AUSTERE BLACK-AND-WHITE NATURE AND LINEARITY. UNDERSTANDING REQUIRES GRASPING THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PHYSICAL/ MECHANICAL WORLD AND THAT APPROACHES THE DEEPER TRUTH THAT IS BEING REVEALED. FUNCTION AND LINE ABOVE ALL ELSE, IN OTHER WORDS. NO COLOR. NO DEPTH. NO DISTRACTION. NO CONFUSION. --- WHAT DESCARTES IS AFTER IN HIS ILLUSTRATION IS THE BAREST POSSIBLE REPRESENTATION OF THE MECHANICAL NATURE AND FUNCTION OF THINGS, THE EYE, THE HEART, THE LENS, THE LIGHT. --- MERLEAU-PONTY NOTES THAT DESCARTES NEVER DISCUSSES PAINTING. THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE, HE SAYS, AS PAINTING ENGAGES VISUAL ELEMENTS AND DIMENSIONS THAT ARE PROBLEMATIC FOR PURELY LINEAR THEORY OF VISION. COLOR FOR EXAMPLE, AND DEPTH. --- BUT IT IS STRANGE FOR THE ADDITIONAL REASON NOT MENTIONED BY MERLEAU-PONTY THAT DESCARTES LIVED IN THE NETHERLANDS DURING THE SO-CALLED "GOLDEN AGE" OF DUTCH PAINTING, THE TIME OF REVEREND, OZ, RAINIER, AND MANY OTHERS AND HE WAS SURROUNDED BY PAINTERS AND PAINTING AT A TIME WHEN PAINTING WAS A CULTURAL FORCE. --- AS HE DID SO OFTEN ACROSS HIS CAREER, MERLEAU-PONTY USES DESCARTES'S THEORY OF VISION AS A STALKING HORSE ON THE WAY TO A RADICALLY DIFFERENT UNDERSTANDING OF PAINTING. PAINTING IS NOT ILLUSTRATION. IT IS NOT COPYING, NOT IMITATION. IT IS NOT EVEN REPRESENTATION. IT IS A VISUAL INVESTIGATION AND EXPRESSION OF VISION ITSELF. A VISUAL ACCOUNT OF HOW THE WORLD COMES TO BE SOMETHING VISIBLE, SOMETHING SEEN. --- IMMERSED IN THE SENSATIONS OF THE VISIBLE WORLD, THE PAINTER ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE HOW THINGS COME INTO VISIBILITY. HOW AN APPLE COMES TO BE AN APPLE, A BOWL A BOWL, THE PICTURE A PICTURE, A TABLECLOTH THE LUMINOUS GROUND THAT HOLDS THE BOWL AND THE PICTURES IN THIS PLACE. THE PAINTING IS AN ICON OR AN ESSENCE IS AS A VISIBLE, OF THE SECOND POWER, THAT REACHES BACK INTO THE EXPERIENCE OF VISION TO REVEAL ITS GENESIS. --- THE PAINTER IN EFFECT WANTS TO CATCH THE VISUAL PERFECTION OF THINGS IN THE ACT, SO TO SPEAK, AS AND HOW THEY COME TO BE PERCEIVED. --- HERE IS A DESCRIPTION OF PAUL C�ZANNE'S PREOCCUPATION WITH MR. -- OUTSIDE OF --. IT IS A MOUNTAIN ITSELF WHICH FROM OUT THERE MAKES ITSELF SEEN BY THE PAINTER. IT IS THE MOUNTAIN ITSELF THAT HE INTERROGATES -- AND WHAT EXACTLY IS ASKING TO UNVEIL THE MEANS VISIBLE AND NOT OTHERWISE BY WHICH IT MAKES ITSELF MOUNTAIN BEFORE OUR EYES? LIGHT, LIGHTING, SHADOWS, REFLECTIONS, COLOR ALL OF THESE OBJECTS OF HIS QUEST ARE NOT ALTOGETHER REAL OBJECTS. LIKE GHOSTS, THEY HAVE ONLY VISUAL EXISTENCE. --- THE PAINTER'S GAZE ASKS THEM WHAT THEY DO TO SUDDENLY CAUSE SOMETHING TO BE, AND TO BE THIS THING. WHAT THEY DO TO COMPOSE THIS TALISMAN OF A WORLD. TO MAKE US SEE THE VISIBLE. --- THE INTERROGATION OF PAINTING LOOKS TOWARDS THE SECRET AND FEVERISH GENERATION OF THINGS IN OUR BODY. --- THE BODY WHERE THE SECRET AND GENERATION OF THINGS OCCURS, THE BODY THAT PAINTS AND THE BODY THAT STANDS TRANSFIXED BEFORE PAINTING IS CLEARLY NOT A MACHINE, OR A PIECE OF EXTENDED MATTER. MERLEAU-PONTY CALLS IT AN ENIGMA. THE HUMAN BODY IS AN UNCANNY FUSION OF OBJECT AND SUBJECT; OF MIND AND MATTER. IT IS A SUBJECT/OBJECT, THE THING THAT TOUCHES, SEES. "VISIBLE AND MOBILE MY BODY IS A THING AMONG THINGS, IT IS CALLED IN THE FABRIC OF THE WORLD. BUT BECAUSE IT MOVES ITSELF AND SEES, IT HOLDS THINGS IN A CIRCLE AROUND ITSELF. THINGS ARE AND ANNEXATION OR PROLONGATION OF ITSELF. THEY ARE ENCRUSTED IN ITS LAST. THEY ARE PART OF ITS FULL DEFINITION. THE WORLD IS MADE IS THE SAME STUFF AS THE BODY. THIS WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND, THESE ANTE-ENEMIES IS A WAY OF SAYING THE VISION HAPPENS AMONG OR IS CAUGHT UP IN THINGS, IN THAT PLACE WHERE SOMETHING VISIBLE UNDERTAKES TO SEE, BECOMES VISIBLE FOR ITSELF BY VIRTUE OF THE SITE OF THINGS. IN THAT PLACE WHERE THEY PERSIST, LIKE THE MOTHER/WATER IN CRYSTLA, THE UNDIVIDEDNESS OF SENSING AND THE SENSE." --- STANDING BEFORE PAINTING WE DO NOT THINK ENOUGH ABOUT THE PAINTER'S BODY. MERLEAU-PONTY ADMIRED THE POINT -- COMMENT THAT THE PAINTER ALWAYS TAKES HIS BODY WITH HIM. BEFORE IT BECOMES A PAINTING, THE CAMPUS IS A BLANK TABLEAU, AND EMPTY FIELD. THE PAINTER'S PHYSICAL MOVEMENTS GRADUALLY FILL THAT EMPTY NEST WITH MARKS THAT BECOME RECOGNIZABLE THINGS, FACES, BOWLS, MOUNTAINS ARE COMPELLING ABSTRACTIONS, MERE SHAPES. --- MERLEAU-PONTY WANTS US TO LINGER IN THAT EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE WHERE THE PAINTER'S GAZE PASSES INTO PHYSICAL LOOKS, BECOME IMAGES THAT HAVE THINGS THAT HAVE VISUALIZED INSIGNIFICANCE ENTITIES MIRACULOUS IN THAT INSTANCE, AND THAT TRANSUBSTANTIATION, THE CIRCUIT OF EYE AND MIND THAT THE MEANING OF PAINTING LIES. --- "IN WHATEVER CIVILIZATION IT IS BORN, FOR WHATEVER BELIEFS, MOTIVES AND THOUGHTS, NO MATTER WHAT CEREMONY SURROUNDED EVEN WHEN IT APPEARS DEVOTED TO SOMETHING ELSE -- FROM LASCAUX TO OUR TIME, PURE OR IMPURE, FIGURATIVE OR NOT, PAINTING CELEBRATES NO OTHER ENIGMA BUT THAT OF VISIBILITY." --- IN 1632, FIVE YEARS BEFORE DESCARTES PUBLISHED THE DISCOURSE ON METHOD, REMBRANDT WAS COMMISSIONED TO PAINT THE ANATOMY LESSON OF DOCTOR NICHOLAS TOOP (SOUNDS LIKE). DESCARTES WAS LIVING IN AMSTERDAM DURING THIS PERIOD AND ATTENDED SOME OF TOOP'S LECTURES. AS A HISTORIAN OF SCIENCE BRIAN BAKERY HAS NOTED IT IS INTRIGUING TO SAY THE LEAST TO IMAGINE REMBRANDT AND DESCARTES SITTING IN THE SAME LECTURE HALL AND FOLLOWING THE SAME LECTURE. --- IT IS ALSO INTRIGUING THAT REMBRANDT APPRENTICED AT AN EARLIER PERIOD IN HIS LIFE TO URIS VON SCHUTTEN (SOUNDS LIKE), A PAINTER IN AMSTERDAM AND THE UNCLE OF THE DUTCH MATHEMATICIAN AND ARTIST FRANZ -- WHO LIVED IN LIFE AND HELPED DESCARTES WITH ILLUSTRATIONS IN THE DISCOURSE ON METHOD AND THE ATTACHED ESSAYS. IT WAS A VERY SMALL WORLD. --- REMBRANDT'S REMARKABLE PAINTING IS WORTH MORE CAREFUL LOOK. DR. TOOP IS A PRIMARY FOCAL POINT JUST TO THE RIGHT AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE THE CENTER OF THE CAMPUS. HE WEARS A HAT. BENEATH HIM LIES A BONE WHITE CADAVER. ITS LEFT ARM LAID OPEN BY A SCALPEL. WITH HIS FORCEPS, TOOP DISPLAYS THE MUSCLES AND LIGAMENTS RUNNING THROUGH THE FOREARM TO THE HAND. THE CADAVER'S EXPOSED ARM IS DRAMATICALLY RENDERED IN REDS, GREYS AND YELLOWS IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE GREY-BROWN AND FLESHY HUES OF THE REST OF THE COMPOSITION. --- HUDDLED TO TOOP'S RIGHT IS A GROUP OF SEVEN MALE OBSERVERS EACH POST AT A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT ANGLE THAN THE VIEWER, NO HATS. IN THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE PAINTING IS A LARGE BOOK, PERHAPS ANDREAS PHASALLIUS'S (SOUNDS LIKE) ANATOMY TEXT ON THE HUMAN BODY AND OPEN AND IN VIEW OF THE CENTERLINE OF CHARACTERS. AND NOTWITHSTANDING THE PAINTING'S TITLE AND THE GORY ARM OPEN IN THE LUMINOUS FOREGROUND IT SEEMS CLEAR ON CLOSER INSPECTION THAT THE PAINTING IS NOT REALLY ABOUT ANATOMY. IT'S ABOUT SEEING, LOOKING AND BEING SEEN. --- CONTEXTUALLY, WE KNOW THAT THESE ANATOMY LESSONS WERE PUBLIC EVENTS CONDUCTED IN AN ACTUAL THEATER. AND REMBRANDT WOULD'VE BEEN COMPENSATED FOR HIS WORK BY THE FIGURES ON THE PAINTING, ALL PRACTICING SURGEONS. THE SUBJECT AND THE PAINTING-- ALL MALE INCLUDING THE CADAVER-- ARE ARRANGED ACCORDINGLY. DR. TOOP IS NOT LOOKING AT THE CADAVER. HE IS STARING OFF STAGE RIGHT AS HE FIELDING A QUESTION, OR POSING FOR PAINTING. --- THE STUDENT OBSERVERS AROUND TOOP ARE LOOKING TOO. ONE APPEARS TO BE LOOKING AT THE EXPOSED ARM. BUT THE REST ARE LOOKING ELSEWHERE, AT THE TEXTBOOK IN THE LOWER RIGHT-HAND CORNER, AT MEMBERS OF THE IMPLIED AUDIENCE OR IN ONE CASE, DIRECTLY AT US THE VIEWERS, WHO BY WAY OF THIS CLASS BECOME PART OF THE SPECTACLE. --- IN HIS LEFT HAND, HE HOLDS AN ANNOTATED SKETCH OF A STANDING BODY, PERHAPS COMPARING IT TO THE PROCEEDINGS OR TO THE TEXT. PERHAPS HE TOO IS AN ARTIST AND IN ANY CASE SKETCHES ECONOMY REFER REVEREND'S CREATIVE GAZE. AND IS A STUDY OF CONNECTED LAYERS AND MODALITIES OF VISION, OF SEEING AND BEING SEEN IN LOOKING AND BEING LOOKED AT THE PAINTING IS DIZZYING. WE SEE THE LOOK OF THE PAINTER, OF THE PRIMARY SUBJECT, THE LOOK OF THE SECONDARY SUBJECTS AND IMPLICITLY THE LOOK OF THE AUDIENCE. INVISIBLE BUT CLEARLY PRESENT BY INFERENCE AND BY OUR OWN. --- AND WE SEE IN ALL THESE LOOKS THE AWARENESS OF OTHERS LOOKING BACK, AND THE KIND OF INFINITELY COMPLEX PROGRESSION SEEING, BEING SEEN, BEING SEEN SEEING EXCELLENT LIKE A MIRROR. REVEREND HAS CREATED AN INTER-WORLD OF SEERS AND SIGHT. OR MORE PRECISELY AT INTER-WORLD OF MALE SEERS WHERE THERE IS NO END, NO BOUNDARY OR TERMINUS; NO STARTING OR STOPPING, OF VISION AND VISIBILITY. --- WE ARE A VERY LONG WAY FROM DESCARTES'S LIGHT WAVES PRESSING ON THE RETINAS OF OUR EYES AND A LUSTRATION OF THOSE WAVES REFRACTED BY A LENS. WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE VISION AND VISIBILITY. AND INDECISION OF BEING A STUDY IN AND ABOUT VISION THE ANATOMY LESSON OF DOCTOR NICHOLAS TOOP IS AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE. AND IT RAISES AT LEAST IMPLICITLY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ARC OF THAT HISTORY AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF MEDICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY TO THE EXPERIENCE OF BOTH WELLNESS AND DISEASE. --- ADVANCED MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE STEADY MARCH OF GENETICS AND MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY HAS LED TO AN EVER MORE PRECISE UNDERSTANDING OF THE HUMAN BODY, AND TO ASTOUNDING PROGRESS IN THE UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT OF DISEASE. --- BUT AS THE SCIENCE OF MEDICINE BECOMES INCREASINGLY TECHNICAL AND ABSTRACT, THE LIVED-BY, THIS BODY THAT IS MINE, AS MERLEAU-PONTY WOULD HAVE IT, RECEDES REPLACED BY THE BODY AS OBJECT. THE BODY AS A BUNDLE OF CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL PROCESSES AND FORCES. --- IN REMBRANDT'S STUNNING DEPICTION, THE BODY AS OBJECT IS RENDERED AS A CADAVER, LIFELESS AND PALE. A THING TO BE TAKEN APART. IT IS A METAPHOR FOR THE POWERFUL, VISIONARY ONE CONSIDERING THE FUTURE EVOLUTION OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. --- OF COURSE IN THE ACTUAL PRACTICE OF MEDICINE, THE LIVE BODY, THE PATIENT'S BODY, THE BODY THAT IS MIND THE BODY CANNOT BE OBJECTIFIED BECAUSE THE IN THE END MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE, CURES,TREATMENT RETURNED TO THE PERSON TO STAY WELL AND IN BRIEF MEDICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MUST ALWAYS FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE EXPERIENCE OF WELLNESS AND DISEASE IN THE PATIENT'S LIVING BODY. --- IN THAT REGARD MEDICAL SCIENCE IS QUITE UNLIKE OTHER SCIENCES OR MANY SCIENTISTS SOME OF WHICH CAN RESIDE PERMANENTLY IN HIGHLY SPECIALIZED ABSTRACTIONS. --- THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE EXISTS IN THAT PLACE WHERE THE BODY AS OBJECT AND AS SUBJECT COINCIDE. AND WHERE THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE MUST ONCE AGAIN REJOINED THE BUILDING WHICH OF EXPERIENCE. --- MERLEAU-PONTY SPENT THE GREATER PART OF HIS PHILOSOPHICAL LIFE LOOKING FORWARD TO CLOSE THE SCHISMS OPEN BY THE CARTESIAN WORLDVIEW, AND TO RECONNECT THE BODY WITH THE MIND. THE INSIDE WITH THE OUTSIDE. THE LANGUAGE OF SCIENCE WITH THE LANGUAGE OF EXPERIENCE. --- IN PAINTINGS, THOSE CONNECTIONS WERE NEVER BROKEN. "ESSENCE AND RESISTANCE, IMAGINING IN REAL, VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE, A PAINTING MIXES UP ALL OUR CATEGORIES IN LAYING OUT ITS NUMERIC UNIVERSE OF CARNAL ESSENCE, OF EFFECTIVE LIKENESSES, OF MUTE MEANINGS." --- WHETHER WE WISH IT OR NOT THE PROBLEM THAT MERLEAU-PONTY IDENTIFIED HIS VERY MUCH OUR PROBLEM. IN OUR COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES AND IN OUR CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES THE GULF BETWEEN THE NATURAL SCIENCES AND THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES IS FAST AND IT IS GROWING, TO THE DETRIMENT OF ALL PARTIES. --- WE NEED TO BE BUILDING BRIDGES ACROSS THIS CHASM. WE NEED TO BE SEEKING OUT THOSE PLACES AND WAYS IN WHICH THE EXTRAORDINARY POWER AND ACHIEVEMENT OF SCIENCE AND THE MEDICAL SCIENCE IN PARTICULAR, CAN BE REJOINED TO THOSE MODES OF REFLECTION AND KNOWLEDGE CARRIED OUT UNDER THE BANNER OF THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES. --- AS TEACHERS, RESEARCHERS AND ADMINISTRATORS WORKING IN IMPORTANT CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS INTEGRATION SHOULD BE OUR WATCHWORD. IT IS THIS KIND OF INTEGRATION THAT HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE NIH AND THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. IT IS A VALUABLE MODEL BUT IT NEEDS TO BE DEVELOPED FURTHER. AS IMPORTANT CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS AND IN THE BROADER SWEEP OTHER PROGRAMS THE NIH AND THE NLM CAN PLAY IMPORTANT ROLES IN THE PROJECT OF INTEGRATION, BOTH HAVE DEEP HISTORIES AND INVOLVEMENT IN THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN THE UNITED STATES. AND BOTH EXERCISE THE AUTHORITY AND INFLUENCE THE COMES WITH BEING NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. --- SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, MEDICINE AND ENGINEERING, PUBLISHED A REPORT TITLED BRANCHES FROM THE SAME TREE, THE CASE FOR INTEGRATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION. THE STUDY WAS FUNDED IN PART BY NIH AND THE ANDREW MELLON FOUNDATION. THE TITLE OF THE REPORT COMES FROM ALBERT EINSTEIN, WHO BELIEVED THAT THE SCIENCES, THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES ARE ALL DERIVED FROM A COMMON ROOT. AND THAT THEY MUST BE VALUED, PRACTICED AND PROMOTED WITH EQUAL ENERGY AND COMMITMENT. --- THAT, ROUTE IS PERHAPS LESS VISIBLE NOW THAN IT WAS IN EINSTEIN'S TIME, BUT IT IS STILL THERE, WAITING TO BE ELIMINATED AND CELEBRATED AGAIN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. >> >> THANK YOU FOR THAT FANTASTIC TALK, OUTSTANDING. I'LL INVITE OUR DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, DOCTORS BRENNANG AND CHANG AND LOW TO TURN ON THE VIDEOS. AND FOR THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THEY WILL WATCH A LIVE FEEDBACK AND UNDERNEATH THE LIVE STREAM LINK YOU CAN USE THAT TO SEND ME QUESTIONS AND I WILL BE MODERATING THIS AFTERNOON. THANK YOU AGAIN. OUTSTANDING. SO MUCH RICHNESS AND SO MANY QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED AND ANSWERED SOME RESEARCH FRONTIERS TO EXPLORE. --- WE WILL JUMP RIGHT IN BECAUSE I HAVE TWO VERY GOOD QUESTIONS THAT I RECEIVED. THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING TALK THIS PERSON WRITES AND FOR SHARING THE IMPACT OF WORKING WITH THE ORIGINAL PRINTED WORDS IN THE PHYSICAL FORM AND YOU MENTIONED THE DEMOCRATIC MENTION OF DESCARTES'S WORK WHICH WERE INTENDED TO PROVIDE ESCALATIONS OF TRUEST CONCEPTS IN A WAY THAT ANYONE COULD UNDERSTAND THEM. WHAT WAS HIS MOTIVATION FOR TRYING TO INFORM THE MASSES RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON THE EDUCATED ELITES AS OTHERS IN HIS TIME WOULD'VE DONE? DID MERLEAU-PONTY COMMENT ON THIS DEMOCRATIC FOCUS OF DESCARTES'S WORK? >> I DON'T RECALL MERLEAU-PONTY EVER FOCUSING ON THAT PARTICULAR ASPECT OF DESCARTES, BUT HE DID INTERESTINGLY SAY AS I SUGGESTED IN ONE OF THE PASSAGES THAT SOME OF THESE CARTESIAN DUALISMS HAVE SORT OF BECOME PART OF POPULAR CULTURE. HE CERTAINLY THOUGHT THAT WAS THE CASE. --- MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT IT, DESCARTES'S PROJECT REMAINED KIND OF AN ELITE PROJECT. IT WAS NOT LITERAL FOR EVERYBODY. BUT DESCARTES'S NOTION WAS THAT HIS METHOD TO BE COMPREHENSIBLE BY PEOPLE WHO REALLY GAVE IT A GOOD EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS RATIONALISM THAT HE WAS DEVELOPING, THIS RATIONAL METHODOLOGY, OUGHT TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO REALLY MADE AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND IT. AND THAT IS I THINK THE POWER OF HIS RATIONALIST DOCTRINE, THE RATIONAL CONCEPTS, THE METHOD COULD BE UNDERSTOOD BROADLY. IT WAS NOT LIMITED AS KNOWLEDGE HAD BEEN IN THE MEDIEVAL PERIOD TO CERTAIN ORDAINED ELITES. --- I HAVE TO SAY PARENTHETICALLY THAT-- OR NOT PARENTHETICALLY BUT ADDITIONALLY-- DESCARTES WAS A WONDERFUL WRITER. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE READ THE TEXTS IN TRANSLATION OR IN THE ORIGINAL BUT I TAUGHT THEM. I WOULD NOT SAY THEY ARE EASY TO TEACH BUT COMPARED TO A LOT OF OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL TEXTS, DESCARTES IS PRETTY ACCESSIBLE; I'M THINKING OF THE MEDITATIONS, AS WELL AS THE DISCOURSE. THE TECHNICAL BOOKS, THE OPTICS, THE METEOROLOGY AND THE GEOMETRY ARE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT. BUT THE DEEPER MORE EXTENSIVE TEXTS, THE DISCOURSE ON MEDITATION -- ARE PRETTY EASY TO TEACHER FOUND A REALLY A JOY TO TEACH. AND SO I THINK DESCARTES DID HAVE AN INVESTMENT IN THESE IDEAS BEING UNDERSTANDABLE BY MORE THAN JUST A FEW PEOPLE. >> THANK YOU. ANOTHER QUESTION. DID MERLEAU-PONTY ANALYZE OTHER PERCEPTIVE ACTIONS ASIDE FROM VISION AND ART? LIKE LISTENING TO MUSIC OR TASTING GOURMET FOOD. VISUAL PERCEPTION MAY BE FIRST AMONG EQUALS AMONG THE BODY'S PERCEPTUAL ABILITIES BY THE OTHER PERCEPTIONS AND HAS A MIND'S INTERPRETATION AND VISUAL INPUT. EXPIRATION OF THAT INTERRELATION WILL BE AN INTERESTING NEXT STEP IN THE PHILOSOPHY OF PERCEIVING THE WORLD. >> THE ANSWER IS YES. HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ALL THE MODALITIES OF PERCEPTION AND ALL OF THE SENSES. HE TALK MOST ABOUT VISION AND TOUCH. TOUCH WAS ANOTHER AREA OF ENORMOUS INTEREST TO HIM. AND SO, THE PHYSICAL ASPECT OF TOUCH WAS ANOTHER ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE BODY'S PRESENCE TO THE WORLD IF YOU WILL. --- EVEN THOUGH HE TALKED ABOUT VISION AND TOUCH THE MOST, HE DOES PERIODICALLY TALK ABOUT OTHER SENSES OR SENSATIONS. AND HE INSISTS UPON THE FACT THAT THERE IS NO HIERARCHY IN THE PERCEPTION WORLD AS WE EXPERIENCE IT. EVEN THOUGH HE TENDS TO FAVOR VISION, I WOULD SAY THAT FOR HIM IN THE END, THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ASPECT OF THE BODY IS ITS ABILITY TO INTEGRATE ALL THE SENSATIONS INTO A SINGLE PERCEPTUAL WHOLE, A PERCEPTUAL STRUCTURE, WHERE ALL OF THE SENSATIONS AND SENSORY POWERS CONNECT AND CREATE AN UNDIVIDED EXPERIENCE OF THE WORLD SO YES VERY INTERESTED IN OTHER ASPECTS ARE VERY INTERESTED IN DISABILITY OF THE BODY TO BRING EVERYTHING TOGETHER IN AN UNDIVIDED PERCEPTUAL WHOLE. >> THANK YOU. >> DR. CHANG, DID YOU HAVE A QUESTION? >> DR. CHANG: YOU KNOW, FABULOUS TALK. THERE ARE MANY THINGS THAT I COULD ASK YOU ABOUT IN TERMS OF VISION. BUT LET ME ASK YOU A GENERAL QUESTION. AT THE VERY END YOU TALKED ABOUT THE SPIRIT OF NLM/NIH RELATIONSHIPS. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT, BECAUSE OF ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY A THINK HEALTHCARE IS RAPIDLY BEEN MOVING FROM A QUALITATIVE AND NUANCED TO MORE QUANTITATIVE AND OBJECTIVE, THERE ARE MACHINES GIVE US MORE NUMBERS TO TREAT PEOPLE. EVERYONE IS SEEING THOSE SAME NUMBERS AND MY SUSPICION IS THAT THE ADDED VALUE IS GOING TO BE IN COMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS AND WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? HOW CAN I HELP? I HAVE A CONCERN THAT HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS ARE LOSING THE SKILLS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE USING ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS AND COPYING WORD FOR WORD ARE LOOKING AT MACHINES INSTEAD OF PEOPLE. DO YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT HOW NIH AND NMIH COULD DO A BETTER JOB OF WORKING TOGETHER IN HELPING TO GET THE ART BACK IN HEALTHCARE DELIVERY? >> WHAT A WONDERFUL QUESTION. IT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD AGENDA ITEM FOR ANOTHER MEETING BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND NIH. MAYBE THAT IS A PROMISING AREA. I SHOULD SAY THAT I'M VERY AWARE THAT I'M SPEAKING IN FRONT OF A LOT OF PHYSICIANS HERE AND I AM AWARE MICHAEL THAT YOU ARE A PHYSICIAN WHO KNOWS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT ABOUT VISION. I AM A LITTLE CAUTIOUS IN MAKING GRAND STATEMENTS ABOUT THESE THINGS. BUT I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. IN MY OWN EXPERIENCE-- AND WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN EXPERIENCES WITH THESE THINGS-- I THINK THE MEDICAL WORLD IS GROWING INCREASINGLY QUANTITATIVE AND INCREASINGLY OBJECTIVE-- OR OBJECTIFIED. AND THAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE SOURCES OF THESE DAZZLING SORTS OF DISCOVERIES. INCLUDING THE MOST RECENT THINGS THAT THE NIH WAS INVOLVED WITH RESPECT TO THE CORONAVIRUS AND VACCINES AND SO FORTH. --- BUT AT THE SAME TIME AS WE GET MORE DISTANCE FROM THE LIVED BODY AND THE LIVING EXPERIENCE OF THE BODY, IT IS POTENTIALLY A HUGE PROBLEM. WE HAVE ALL BEEN IN THE PRESENCE, IN MEDICAL SITUATIONS WHERE WE FELT THAT DIVISION OR DIVERGENCE OR DISCONNECT, AND IT IS VERY UNSETTLING. MEDICINE ALWAYS IS TO COME BACK TO THIS EXPERIENCE IS OF HEALTH AND DISEASE, AND OF THE BODY AS IT IS LIVED BY REAL PEOPLE. I DON'T THINK MEDICINE EVER DOES ALWAYS GET BACK, AT LEAST IN MY EXPERIENCE IT DOESN'T ALWAYS GET BACK. BUT SOONER OR LATER, THAT IS WHERE THINGS HAVE TO GO. --- I THINK THERE IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK CREATIVELY AMONG HUMANISTS AND PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL SCIENTISTS ABOUT THAT ISSUE THAT YOU RAISED. I KNOW THAT THE NEA IN MY TIME WAS VERY INTERESTED IN ART AND HEALING IN SOME OF THE WORK GOING ON TO BETHESDA WITH AND FOR VETERANS AND POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS. AND WOUNDED VETERANS IN PARTICULAR AND THE ROLE THAT THE ARTS PLAYED IN THOSE HEALING PROCESSES. THAT IS A SLIVER OF A MUCH WIDER FIELD THAT YOU ARE DESCRIBING AND OPENING UP. AND I THINK IT IS A WONDERFUL POSSIBLE PLACE OF CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO AGENCIES-- THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND THE NEH AND TH NEA AS WELL. --- AND THERE'S LOTS OF HUMANISTS IN THE UNITED STATES AND I AM SURE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD THAT DEEPLY INTERESTED IN THESE MEDICAL QUESTIONS AND ISSUES, AND THERE IS A LOT OF WRITING ABOUT IT. --- I THINK THE WAY YOU PUT IT IS PERFECT. AND I WOULD HOPE THAT MAY BE THERE COULD BE CONVERSATIONS BETWEEN THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND THE NEH ABOUT EXACTLY THAT ISSUE. >> THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU DOCTOR CHANG FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND CERTAINLY ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT CAN HAPPEN ARE WARMLY WELCOME, PARTICIPATION IN THE NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE AND YOUR COLLEAGUES. DOCTOR BRENNAN NEEDED TO DEPART BUDGET THAT LEAVE US WITH THE QUESTION. SHE WAS WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY ATTENTION IN THE RIGHT AS YOU SPOKE OF TO THE IDEA OF (INCOMPREHENSIBLE), DOES THE BODY KNOW WHERE IN FACT IT IS? >> I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE IS ANYTHING IN DESCARTES ABOUT IT BUT THERE IS AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT IN MERLEAU-PONTY ABOUT PROPRIOCEPTION. ONE OF THE MIRACULOUS, AND WHAT IT IS ALL THE TIME AND WHEN THAT PROPRIOCEPTION ABILITY GOES AWAY, YOU NOTICE IT IMMEDIATELY. --- I WAS WRITING ABOUT THIS A FEW YEARS AGO AND REMEMBERED A DESCRIPTION OF BILL BRADLEY'S BASKETBALL PLAYING DAYS AT PRINCETON. AND I'M HAVING A BLANK MOMENT NOW ABOUT THE NEW YORKER WRITER WHO WROTE THE PIECE, ONE OF HIS FIRST PIECES IN THE NEW YORKER BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL DISCUSSION OF HOW BRADLEY ALWAYS KNEW WHERE HE WAS IN THE COURT AND HIS GENIUS AS A BASKETBALL PLAYER. HE WAS A GENIUS OF PROPRIOCEPTION HAVING THE SENSE OF WHERE HE WAS AND WHAT OTHERS WERE, WONDERFUL EXAMPLE OF HOW MIRACULOUS AND IMPORTANT PROPRIOCEPTION IS AND MERLEAU-PONTY TALKED A LOT ABOUT PROPRIOCEPTION. HE WAS VERY INTERESTED AND I AM SURE HE WOULD'VE BEEN INTERESTED IN BILL BRADLEY. >> IN ONE FUNDAMENTAL RESPECT, WE OUGHT IN A PROPRIOCEPTIVE MOMENT FROM A DISCIPLINARY POINT OF VIEW IF I MAY BECAUSE YOUR TALK AS HELL TO SEE THESE INTERSECTIONS AND THE PROMISE AND CHALLENGES OF FUTURE INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH BETWEEN THE SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS CERTAINLY. AND IN THIS REGARD WE HAVE A COMMENT, NOT A QUESTION. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POINTING OUT THE VALUE OF THE HUMANITIES IN SCIENTIFIC ENDEAVORS AND VICE VERSA. AS YOU NOTED THE GAP BETWEEN THE TWO SEEMS TO BE GROWING BUT THEY ARE CLEARLY ESSENTIAL TO EACH OTHER. WE NEED MORE SCIENCE IN THE HUMANIST FOUNDATION AND MORE HUMANISTS WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO WHERE SCIENCE IS GOING IN IS TO GO WITH RESPECT TO ITS MISSION AND ITS PRIORITIES. AND SO WE ARE AT A WONDERFUL INTERSECTION, A PROPRIOCEPTIVE MOMENT. >> THAT IS A GREAT COMMENT AT ONE OF THE MARKET WILL THINK ABOUT MERLEAU-PONTY'S WORK IS HOW INTERESTED HE WAS IN SCIENCE, AND HOW MUCH TIME HE SPENT IN READING SCIENCE AND THINKING SCIENCE MUCH IN THE BROAD DOMAIN OF PSYCHOLOGY BUT HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN CONTEMPORARY PHYSICS. AND OTHER MODERN, SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINES. AND DID HIS PART. HE PAID HIS DUES IN ORDER TO TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES. BUT I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT. IT GOES BOTH WAYS. AND AS HUMANISTS, WE NEED TO KNOW MORE AND THINK MORE AND ENGAGE MORE WITH SCIENCE, AND VICE VERSA AS WELL. >> THANK YOU. ONE FINAL QUESTION BEFORE WE CONCLUDE. YOU HAD MENTIONED DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR PRESENTATION THAT THIS WAS A RESEARCH PROJECT THAT YOU BEGAN BEFORE YOUR TENURE AT NIH. YOU HAD TO PAUSE IT FOR UNDERSTANDABLE REASONS BUT YOU ARE PICKING IT UP AGAIN. CAN YOU SAY MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU PLAN TO TAKE YOUR RESEARCH AND WHAT THE OUTCOME YOU HOPE WILL BE? >> I HOPE THE OUTCOME IS A BOOK. I HAVE A CHAPTER OUTLINE THAT INCLUDES SEVEN CHAPTERS AND AN EPILOGUE. AND I WOULD SAY THAT I AM ABOUT HALFWAY THERE. IT IS VERY PAINSTAKING WORK BECAUSE A LOT OF IT, I AM DOING IN SOUTHERN FRANCE, IN PLACES WHERE PAUL C�ZANNE PAINTED AND WHERE MERLEAU-PONTY SPENT SOME TIME AS WELL. SO, IT'S A LOT OF UNDERGROUND WORK, AS WELL AS THE RESEARCH IN BOOKS. IT'S GREAT. I'M MAKING PROGRESS. IT IS SLOW BUT I'M GETTING THERE AND JEFF YOU WILL BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN THIS IS DONE! >> I LOOK FORWARD TO IT. >> ME TOO! >> I WISH YOU AN EASY TIME OF YOUR RESEARCH IN FRANCE. AND WITH THAT, ON BEHALF OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE THANK YOU AGAIN FOR AN OUTSTANDING PRESENTATION. THE LIFESTREAM OF THIS TALK WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON. THANKS TO OUR COLLEAGUES AT NIH VIDEO CASTING AND THANKS TO DOCTOR MICHAEL CHANG AND ASK THAT YOU ENTER THE CHAIR OF THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT OF THE HUMANITIES, AND DOCTOR BRENNAN, DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE AND YOUR PARTICIPATION IN TODAY'S EXCITING CONVERSATION AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING IN TOUCH AND CERTAINLY IF MY COLLEAGUES AND I HEAR THE LIBRARY CAN BE OF SERVICE TO YOU DON'T HESITATE TO BE IN TOUCH. YOU HAVE MY CONTACT DETAILS. I DO JEFF. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU ALL FOR WATCHING. HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON.