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Professor Daniel Lord Smail Public Lecture

At a Glance
Date: 24 October 2011
Time: 3.00pm-4.00pm/5.00pm-7.00pm
Location: H0.56 Humanities Building/R0.12 Ramphal Building
Open To: Staff, students, alumni and general public
Cost: Free
Summary: A visit from Professor Daniel Lord Smail from the History Department at Harvard University.

On Monday 24 October, Professor Daniel Lord Smail from the History Department at Harvard University will be visiting Warwick. In the afternoon (3.00 to 4.00, Humanities H0.56) undergraduate and postgraduate students will have the opportunity to discuss with him his ideas on 'neurohistory'. A recently published paper by Professor Smail will serve as the basis of this discussion and is available on the network website: http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/ias/networks/beinghuman

(Please be advised that spaces are limited and seating will be on a first come first served basis)

At 5.00 pm (Ramphal building, RO.12) Professor Smail will give a talk entitled 'Deep History: Neurosciences and History Writing'. He will explore the idea of 'neurohistory', which he defined elsewhere as a history that 'explores how cultural structures shape patterns of the brain-body system and alter forms of endocrine regulation'. This approach, he believes, would add a new dimension to our understanding of cultural transformations.

"It offers a way to incorporate the neurosciences into history without having recourse to historically sterile versions of evolutionary psychology (notably approaches that rely on strong theories of massive modularity and evolved dispositions)".

(Please be advised that spaces are limited and seating will be on a first come first served basis) After a hopefully stimulating discussion light refreshments will be served.