審美，真的是自我意識

神經科學家發(fā)現，我們對美的體驗與一個意想不到的大腦區(qū)域有關

Neuroscientists think they have found a key area in our brains that helps us assess and respond to what we find beautiful, also known as aesthetic appeal. And that appeal could be more linked to our sense of self than you might expect.

神經科學家認為他們在我們的大腦中發(fā)現了一個關鍵區(qū)域，幫助我們評估和回應我們發(fā)現的美麗，也被稱為審美吸引力。這種吸引力與我們的自我意識的聯(lián)系可能比你想象的還要緊密。

When something pleases us visually - whether it's a fine piece of artwork, a beautiful feat of architecture, or an untouched natural landscape - new research demonstrates there is a pattern of activity in what's known as the default mode network (DMN).

當某樣東西在視覺上讓我們感到愉悅時——無論是一件精美的藝術品、一幅美麗的建筑杰作，還是一幅未經雕琢的自然景觀——新的研究表明，在所謂的“默認模式網絡”(DMN)中存在一種活動模式。

The DMN is a large-scale system of interacting regions in the brain that appears to play a role in how we regulate our sense of self; this network is most active when we're self-reflecting, remembering, or imagining.

DMN是大腦中一個大型的相互作用區(qū)域系統(tǒng)，它似乎在我們如何調節(jié)自我意識方面發(fā)揮著作用;當我們進行自我反省、記憶或想象時，這個網絡是最活躍的。

That's what makes its emerging role in aesthetics so interesting, since the findings of this latest study suggest - a deeply moving visual experience is processed by the same brain network that's strongly involved in who we are as individuals.

這就是為什么它在美學中所扮演的新角色如此有趣，因為這項最新研究的發(fā)現表明——一個深刻感人的視覺體驗是由同一個大腦網絡處理的，而這個網絡與我們作為個體的身份密切相關。

As the new research indicates, when people were shown images of artwork, natural landscapes or buildings, the most 'moving' images, no matter what the subject matter, inspired a strong spike of activity in the DMN.

新的研究表明，當人們看到藝術作品、自然景觀或建筑的圖片時，無論主題是什么，最“動人”的圖片都會激發(fā)DMN中強烈的活動。

Measuring brain activity in 16 participants using fMRI, the researchers found images of artwork, buildings and landscapes showed very different patterns of activity in visual brain regions - no matter whether participants considered them moving or not.

研究人員使用功能磁共振成像技術對16名參與者的大腦活動進行了測量，發(fā)現藝術品、建筑物和景觀的圖像顯示了大腦視覺區(qū)域非常不同的活動模式——無論參與者是否認為它們在移動。

The DMN, on the other hand, had a different response. This network was relatively quiet when something was not considered particularly beautiful, but when one of these images evoked a stronger aesthetic response, the DMN became just as active as the visual regions, regardless of what was featured in the image.

另一方面，DMN有不同的反應。當某物不被認為特別漂亮時，這個網絡相對安靜，但當其中一個圖像引起更強烈的審美反應時，DMN就和視覺區(qū)域一樣活躍，而不管圖像中有什么特征。

Most of the time, when looking at things in the external world, the visual parts of the brain are the most active and the default mode network is mostly disengaged. It's only when something really moves us, the authors argue, that the DMN perks up and performs just as much as the visual areas.

大多數時候，當我們看外部世界的東西時，大腦的視覺部分是最活躍的，默認模式的網絡大部分是空閑的。作者認為，只有當某些東西真正打動我們的時候，DMN才會活躍起來，并像視覺區(qū)域一樣發(fā)揮作用。

It's still unclear exactly what the DNM's role is in our response to beauty, but the new findings suggest that various visually aesthetic experiences are somehow linked to a sense of self in the brain.

目前還不清楚DNM在我們對美的反應中究竟扮演著什么角色，但新的發(fā)現表明，各種視覺審美體驗在某種程度上與大腦中的自我意識有關。