The Montaigne Medal
Wednesday is Indigo Blue:
Discovering the Brain of Synesthesia
won the 2011 Montaigne Medal given by the
Eric Hoffer Book Awards.
According to the grantor:
“The Montaigne Medal is given in honor of the noted French philosopher and awarded to the most thought–provoking title each year. Your title, in particular, is key in helping to maintain the circulation of ideas within a thriving society.”
Wednesday is Indigo Blue
In synesthesia two or more senses are automatically and involuntarily coupled such that a voice, for example, is not only heard, but additionally felt, seen, or tasted.
Synesthesia is not imagination or learning. It differs from metaphor and deliberate contrivances such as colored music. Some couplings are more common than others: sound–sight synesthesia (colored hearing) is plentiful, whereas taste and smell combinations are rare.
Some form of synesthesia occurs in 1 in 23 people. It runs strongly in families and is a trait—like having blue eyes—and not a disease. Synesthesia is no mere curiosity but a window onto how ordinary brains work. In fact, Richard Cytowic says we are all synesthetic, except we don’t know it.
