We often suppose that an artwork has a meaning - that it carries a knowledge for the question we bring to it, and most particularly when such knowledge is withheld the audience makes knowledge, imputing the artwork as its cause. Psychoanalysis has long sought for art to produce new knowledge of civilisation, in advance of [...]
Paradoxically, the study was funded by the Christian-based John Templeton Foundation, which intended to demonstrate that religion reinforces “pro-social behaviour.” Known for its conservative and libertarian stances, the Foundation is regularly accused of only funding research that serves it purposes. Clearly here the researchers did not feel obliged to pander to the interests of their [...]
