Science question: Why do we have music and dance?

[flippo]

Also, when backed into a corner a species can begin to 'reproduce' without fucking, as a female hammerhead shark recentlly proved, the only caveat bein that its a somewhat short term solution & would def be a genetic dead end street.

parthenogenesis dosen't happen in mammals, certainly not in humans.

[freqone]

Music & Dance are the cornerstones of civilisation,
they provide the framework in which society exists.

Nope. Fucking is. That is the cornerstone of civilisation, because without it, we'd lose everything (i.e. there wouldnt be anyone around).

Nope. Senseless reproduction has as much potential to destroy a species as it does to perpetuate it.

Also, when backed into a corner a species can begin to 'reproduce' without fucking, as a female hammerhead shark recentlly proved, the only caveat bein that its a somewhat short term solution & would def be a genetic dead end street.

yo, where can i find info on this......


i also agree btw....

[jackquinox]

They're something to do while we wait to die

Pretty much sums it up for me.

[beatcarnival]

I'd say that it's because music is one of the only things that doesn't require anything to enjoy and yet still provides one of the purest, most elemental pleasures in life. Dancing results from the fact that expending kinetic energy doing something pleasureable (like jackin' / skankin' / poppin' etc)produces a palpable benefit to both physical and mental health.

[*decibella~~]

okay, i decided to read up a bit about how music can affect the body. My reason why is i AM addicted to music, it give me a feeling of 'high' and i thought it must alter some chemical in my brain to make me feel so good.
I am actually addicted to it, for e.g if im staying away from home and i havent got access to my music i start to crave it so bad, and have even gone to lengths such as skulking off to find an internet cafe to go and get a music fix! (no joke! )

I dunno, i cant explain it in mere words, it jus touches me so deep inside, i feel a warm fuzzyness in my heart, some particular tunes make me get goosebumps all over and some actually make me cry, not coz im sad, but the way the music is making me feel is overwhelming, i cant control it either, like when your on drugs and they take over your body, the tears jus come, and im feeling so happy..... its crazy, jus the sounds do something to my emotions.....i dont really get it with dubstep much but old house music jus sets off something..

i thought i was a bit wierd but
YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS! :::::::::: MUSIC ON THE MIND AND BODY

http://www.cerebromente.org.br/n15/mente/musica.html

and

http://hs.riverdale.k12.or.us/~dthompso ... _Body.html

really interesting......

snippett

"People perceive and respond to music in different ways. The level of musicianship of the performer and the listener as well as the manner in which a piece is performed affects the "experience" of music. An experienced and accomplished musician might hear and feel a piece of music in a totally different way than a non-musician or beginner. This is why two accounts of the same piece of music can contradict themselves."

"Emotionally and mentally, music is very effective. In particular, “Music affects the limbic system, that aspect of the brain, which governs emotional response. Through using specific music (specific for the individual), we can help elicit certain emotional responses"


x x x

[jaggi]

i took a psychology of music class with rita aiello as part of my major and from what i remember learning... [geek alert] music is just a sonic representation of our mental state. its a means for expressing what cannot be articulated through language and other forms of communication. a connection is formed between artist and audience through this medium that allows them to implicitly communicate emotion through sound... tbh i can't remember much else from that class at the moment, lol...

and i'm not too sure about the science of dancing... but to me its just a way of embodying this emotional release triggered by sound... there is such an influx in energy when we listen to music and the body mobilizes this energy via movement. like a rephlex.

if u really want to dig into the subject i recommend checking...

The Social Psychology of Music
by David Hargreaves, Adrian North



Music and Emotion: Theory and Research (Series in Affective Science) by Patrik N. Juslin and John A. Sloboda



Musical Perceptions
by Rita Aiello, John A. Sloboda

[jonrust]

I read once that dancing is just the most basic of celebrations that we are animate beings.

I think that's simple enough.