Wow! eBook
Why the Arts Matter: How Art Shapes Our Thinking, Identity, and Wellbeing
Author(s): Aleksandra Sherman (Author)
- Publisher: Cambridge University Press
- Publication Date: 16 July 2026
- Language: English
- Print length: 204 pages
- ISBN-10: 1009344315
- ISBN-13: 9781009344319
Book Description
The arts are many things: a source of entertainment, an industry, and even in some cases a luxury item or status symbol. In this book, a philosopher and a cognitive scientist argue that, most foundationally, the arts are fundamental to who we are, a source of transformation and transcendence. Drawing on real-world examples – from visual art and poetry, to music and performance – they offer a powerful framework for understanding how art engagement fosters intellectual growth and emotional insight. Each chapter features thought-provoking artworks that invite readers to reflect on their own experiences and grapple with essential questions about empathy, creativity, and what it means to live well. Rich in scholarship yet grounded in everyday relevance, this work offers fresh ways to think about the role of the arts in both individual and collective life. It offers the perfect jumping-off point for anyone curious about how the arts shape our minds.
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
A scientific and philosophical study of how art enriches cognition, shapes wellbeing, and influences one’s sense of self.
About the Author
Aleksandra Sherman is Professor of Cognitive Science and Director of the Center for Research and Scholarship at Occidental College. She is an award-winning research mentor and has published across the sciences, humanities, and arts. Sherman’s research program exploring the intersection of empirical aesthetics, the arts, and multisensory perception has been supported by the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Science Foundation.
Clair Morrissey is Professor of Philosophy and Director for Partnerships with Los Angeles at Occidental College. She is an award-winning teacher whose interdisciplinary and cross-divisional work has been supported by the Mellon Foundation, Bringing Theory to Practice, and the National Institutes of Health. Morrissey specializes in moral philosophy, including the relationship between ethics and aesthetics. She is author of The Virtue of Wit: Humor, Social Connection and Flourishing (2025).
