Listen… | Denis Sinclair | TEDxYouth@HamberSchool

imagine a scientist named Mary

imagine a scientist named Mary specialized in the psychology of color

specialized in the psychology of color

specialized in the psychology of color she can differentiate between the

she can differentiate between the

she can differentiate between the electrical signals of red and blue and

electrical signals of red and blue and

electrical signals of red and blue and can explain their stimuli and effects on

can explain their stimuli and effects on

can explain their stimuli and effects on our brain armed with the vast knowledge

our brain armed with the vast knowledge

our brain armed with the vast knowledge of these studies Mary knows everything

of these studies Mary knows everything

of these studies Mary knows everything there is to know about color she can

there is to know about color she can

there is to know about color she can detect its presence through simple brain

detect its presence through simple brain

detect its presence through simple brain activity and can explain the different

activity and can explain the different

activity and can explain the different properties of all the colors in the

properties of all the colors in the

properties of all the colors in the visible spectrum it is however in this

visible spectrum it is however in this

visible spectrum it is however in this seemingly developed understanding that

seemingly developed understanding that

seemingly developed understanding that one aspect may have been overlooked and

one aspect may have been overlooked and

one aspect may have been overlooked and that is that Mary has actually never

that is that Mary has actually never

that is that Mary has actually never seen color her whole life she’s lived in

seen color her whole life she’s lived in

seen color her whole life she’s lived in a black and white room

a black and white room

a black and white room she reads black and white books and her

she reads black and white books and her

she reads black and white books and her research is conducted purely on a

research is conducted purely on a

research is conducted purely on a factual level this has stagnated her

factual level this has stagnated her

factual level this has stagnated her studies into being purely empirical

studies into being purely empirical

studies into being purely empirical based rather than of a conscious bias

based rather than of a conscious bias

based rather than of a conscious bias and it’s because of this that we can

and it’s because of this that we can

and it’s because of this that we can question if her studies are truly

question if her studies are truly

question if her studies are truly complete if she were to come into

complete if she were to come into

complete if she were to come into contact with a red apple experiencing

contact with a red apple experiencing

contact with a red apple experiencing the color not through numbers but as an

the color not through numbers but as an

the color not through numbers but as an actual experience which she learned

actual experience which she learned

actual experience which she learned something new if she were to stand in

something new if she were to stand in

something new if she were to stand in awe at the Northern Lights marveling and

awe at the Northern Lights marveling and

awe at the Northern Lights marveling and it stretches of green and purple which

it stretches of green and purple which

it stretches of green and purple which she draw new conclusions these were the

she draw new conclusions these were the

she draw new conclusions these were the questions philosopher Frank Jackson

questions philosopher Frank Jackson

questions philosopher Frank Jackson asked in the 1980s he saw an answer to

asked in the 1980s he saw an answer to

asked in the 1980s he saw an answer to these enigmatic dilemmas questioning

these enigmatic dilemmas questioning

these enigmatic dilemmas questioning that if Mary already knew all the

that if Mary already knew all the

that if Mary already knew all the physical facts on color but stood to

physical facts on color but stood to

physical facts on color but stood to learn more through her example and seen

learn more through her example and seen

learn more through her example and seen color herself could mental states be

color herself could mental states be

color herself could mental states be explained through physical fact this is

explained through physical fact this is

explained through physical fact this is called the knowledge argument and it is

called the knowledge argument and it is

called the knowledge argument and it is not completely grounded in the realm of

not completely grounded in the realm of

not completely grounded in the realm of colors every day we experience things we

colors every day we experience things we

colors every day we experience things we couldn’t quite explain quantitatively

couldn’t quite explain quantitatively

couldn’t quite explain quantitatively the love we may feel for our dog the

the love we may feel for our dog the

the love we may feel for our dog the excitement we may feel at the end of

excitement we may feel at the end of

excitement we may feel at the end of school and the boredom I’m hopeful you

school and the boredom I’m hopeful you

school and the boredom I’m hopeful you aren’t feeling right now these are all

aren’t feeling right now these are all

aren’t feeling right now these are all examples of the undefinable although

examples of the undefinable although

examples of the undefinable although capable of being represented through

capable of being represented through

capable of being represented through numbers these feelings love excitement

numbers these feelings love excitement

numbers these feelings love excitement and boredom would never be done justice

and boredom would never be done justice

and boredom would never be done justice through spreadsheets or Word documents

through spreadsheets or Word documents

through spreadsheets or Word documents they are the here-and-now

they are the here-and-now

they are the here-and-now that give meaning to our present human

that give meaning to our present human

that give meaning to our present human condition music is an example of the

condition music is an example of the

condition music is an example of the knowledge argument although fully

knowledge argument although fully

knowledge argument although fully embodied by ink on a music sheet a song

embodied by ink on a music sheet a song

embodied by ink on a music sheet a song is never actually brought to life until

is never actually brought to life until

is never actually brought to life until it is actually played and it is in this

it is actually played and it is in this

it is actually played and it is in this that it is similar to the color paradox

that it is similar to the color paradox

that it is similar to the color paradox because Mary did not possess all the

because Mary did not possess all the

because Mary did not possess all the necessary pieces needed to map out music

necessary pieces needed to map out music

necessary pieces needed to map out music or color sorry

or color sorry

or color sorry it can be argued that her lack of

it can be argued that her lack of

it can be argued that her lack of experience with color in itself was a

experience with color in itself was a

experience with color in itself was a limiting fact in her study and because

limiting fact in her study and because

limiting fact in her study and because this is the same as I mean we could say

this is the same as I mean we could say

this is the same as I mean we could say the same thing about a deaf sound

the same thing about a deaf sound

the same thing about a deaf sound specialist although capable of mapping

specialist although capable of mapping

specialist although capable of mapping out all the different sound waves the

out all the different sound waves the

out all the different sound waves the emotion and feeling portrayed by music

emotion and feeling portrayed by music

emotion and feeling portrayed by music would never fully be accounted for and

would never fully be accounted for and

would never fully be accounted for and this is why we could argue that his

this is why we could argue that his

this is why we could argue that his studies would never fully be complete to

studies would never fully be complete to

studies would never fully be complete to exemplify the fact that some thing okay

exemplify the fact that some thing okay

exemplify the fact that some thing okay well let’s just start again Beethoven is

well let’s just start again Beethoven is

well let’s just start again Beethoven is an example of a musician that could

an example of a musician that could

an example of a musician that could never hear any well he could hear he was

never hear any well he could hear he was

never hear any well he could hear he was he lost his hearing so let’s just start

he lost his hearing so let’s just start

he lost his hearing so let’s just start with that yeah I know terrible okay

thanks okay so Beethoven he although he

thanks okay so Beethoven he although he seems to be a musician that was deaf

seems to be a musician that was deaf

seems to be a musician that was deaf that’s not very true because he already

that’s not very true because he already

that’s not very true because he already had hearing he was able to experience

had hearing he was able to experience

had hearing he was able to experience music and then from that he could

music and then from that he could

music and then from that he could remember the love for composition that

remember the love for composition that

remember the love for composition that he had preserving these emotions proved

he had preserving these emotions proved

he had preserving these emotions proved detrimental to his future works allowing

detrimental to his future works allowing

detrimental to his future works allowing him to create the Ninth Symphony without

him to create the Ninth Symphony without

him to create the Ninth Symphony without actually being able to hear a single

actually being able to hear a single

actually being able to hear a single thing this goes to prove that the

thing this goes to prove that the

thing this goes to prove that the essential ingredients for music are not

essential ingredients for music are not

essential ingredients for music are not qualitative but actually of a sensory

qualitative but actually of a sensory

qualitative but actually of a sensory nature and it is in this that we can see

nature and it is in this that we can see

nature and it is in this that we can see how important feeling is although the

how important feeling is although the

how important feeling is although the habit of a terrible musician I pride

habit of a terrible musician I pride

habit of a terrible musician I pride myself on not knowing how to read a

myself on not knowing how to read a

myself on not knowing how to read a single line of music this is true

single line of music this is true

single line of music this is true because instead of focusing on the

because instead of focusing on the

because instead of focusing on the strict rhythm and pace of a song I

strict rhythm and pace of a song I

strict rhythm and pace of a song I instead allow myself to interpret this

instead allow myself to interpret this

instead allow myself to interpret this sound an emotion conveyed by it by not

sound an emotion conveyed by it by not

sound an emotion conveyed by it by not worrying about what is written I instead

worrying about what is written I instead

worrying about what is written I instead allow myself to listen and since this is

allow myself to listen and since this is

allow myself to listen and since this is the most important part of music I think

the most important part of music I think

the most important part of music I think it’s really allowed me to understand the

it’s really allowed me to understand the

it’s really allowed me to understand the composers of my pieces it almost becomes

composers of my pieces it almost becomes

composers of my pieces it almost becomes an intimate relationship songs not being

an intimate relationship songs not being

an intimate relationship songs not being remedies to bad days but actually

remedies to bad days but actually

remedies to bad days but actually difficult discussions derived by

difficult discussions derived by

difficult discussions derived by difficult emotions it’s almost

difficult emotions it’s almost

difficult emotions it’s almost impossible to explain so I think I’m

impossible to explain so I think I’m

impossible to explain so I think I’m just gonna have to show you guys so I’m

just gonna have to show you guys so I’m

just gonna have to show you guys so I’m gonna be playing classical gas

gonna be playing classical gas

gonna be playing classical gas no not Costco gas I’m going to clean

no not Costco gas I’m going to clean

no not Costco gas I’m going to clean gratitude by I mean to Fani

gratitude by I mean to Fani

gratitude by I mean to Fani it

it

it a song that I think my dad may have

a song that I think my dad may have

a song that I think my dad may have already showed you guys so I hope that

already showed you guys so I hope that

already showed you guys so I hope that doesn’t spoil it but you know we’re just

doesn’t spoil it but you know we’re just

doesn’t spoil it but you know we’re just gonna do it so smooth

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

[Music]

[Music] thank you