The Unity of the Senses. Interrelations Among the Modalities

The Unity of the Senses demonstrates that the senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch and temperature, rather than being separate, independent channels, are closely knit systems that bear many important resemblances. Dr. Marks explores the similarities and interrelations among the various sense modalities, placing special emphasis on synesthesia in sensation, perception, language and thought. The first part of the book deals with sensory and perceptual phenomena and explores in depth four central topics: the common perceptual function of the psychophysical properties; and common neural properties. In the second part, the author examines how the unity of the senses reveals itself in language, especially poetic language. Unique in its approach to the senses as interrelated modalities, the monograph deals with a broad range of phenomena in sensory processes and perception and their relationship to philosophy and poetry. It is written for cognitive psychologists, information scientists, and others interested in sensory processing; neuro-scientists, philosophers, and theorists in music, art and aesthetics