Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

A mind is a terrible thing to misunderstand.

Rene Descartes’ immortal words, “I think; therefore, I am,” might mean more to a neuroscientist if they are turned around to read, “I am; therefore, I think.” In the opening lecture of the spring semester Honors Lecture Series on “The Mind,” Dr. Scott Carnicom, associate dean of the University Honors College, said Descartes thought the body was mechanical, and the mind is a ghost in the brain. But Carnicom counters, for the sake of argument, “If we have free will, then our behavior is not physically deterministic. It is unpredictable. It is not subject to scientific study or natural law, which means that the scientific fields of psychology, sociology, neuroscience are fruitless.” However, neuroscientists operate under a reductionist assumption, says Carnicom. “The mind is a product of the brain and subject to the same laws.”

Contact Carnicom at 615-898-7611.
carnicom@mtsu.edu

The green fields of the mind

Today is the final day to purchase tickets for the 35th annual Groundhog Day Luncheon to benefit Blue Raider baseball. The event is slated for 11:30 a.m. this Friday, Feb. 1, at Murphy Center, and tickets are $20 each. The traditional menu of hamhocks, white beans, tomato salad, green onions, cornbread, chocolate cake and ice cream will be available. Former Blue Raider standouts Brett Carroll, Matt Ray and Todd Martin are among those who will be in attendance. On Saturday, Feb. 2, the Middle Tennessee baseball program will conduct its “Show Me” Camp from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Murphy Center. The camp is for children ages six to 12. Hitting, pitching, infield play, outfield play, and base running will be the topics for the five sessions by coaches, players and former players. All campers should bring their gloves.

For information on the luncheon, call 615-898-2103 or 615-898-2210. For information on the camp, call 615-898-2450 or 615-898-2961.

Moms don’t mind the commercials.

Who should be the target audience for Super Bowl commercials? Dr. Don Roy, management and marketing, says the audience will be more demographically diverse than just men and sports fans because the Super Bowl is a cultural event as much as it is a sporting event. Roy says, “According to a survey done for the Marketing to Moms Coalition, 80 percent of moms surveyed said they would watch the Super Bowl. Perhaps more importantly, 60 percent of moms said they watch the Super Bowl to see the commercials! So the idea of targeting women with a 30-second Super Bowl spot is not so far-fetched if the survey’s findings mirror the behaviors of moms across the general population.”

Contact Roy at 615-904-8564.
droy@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

LINGERIE LIVES!--MTSU Theatre & Dance will present Underwear: The Musical, book, music and lyrics by Heidi Ervin and Brandon Gwinn, at 7:30 p.m. from tomorrow, Jan. 31 through Saturday, Feb. 2 in the Studio Theatre of the Boutwell Dramatic Arts Building. This tender, hilariously irreverent and original musical reveals a unique plan to control men and rule the world through the ingenious design of their underwear. Though lighthearted and endearing, Underwear: The Musical features scantily clad performers (no nudity) and mature themes. Therefore, it might not be appropriate for teenagers and younger children. General admission tickets are $3 each. The show will be performed in two acts with a 15-minute intermission. More information is available at http://www.underwearthemusical.com.

SHE’S A MAINIAC--MTSU’s Baldwin Photographic Gallery is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibit titled “MAINE WOMEN living on the land” featuring the works of Lauren Shaw. She photographed, recorded and videotaped 20 women whose livelihoods come either from producing a product or building a community. Shaw’s work is in the collections of the Getty Museum; the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston; the Art Institute of Chicago; and the Library of Congress, among other venues. The exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Tom Jimison at 615-2085 or tjimison@mtsu.edu.

BRINGING THE MIDDLE EAST TO MIDDLE TENNESSEE--MTSU Honors students are going beyond the headlines to understand more about the customs and values of people in the Middle East. In “Contemporary Middle East Culture: Film, Music and Literature,” students are listening to music from various traditions, viewing films produced by contemporary Arab and Israeli directors, and read literary work by writers from the region. In their explorations, they discuss issues of language, identity, borders, homeland and memory. The instructors, Dr. Sonja Hedgepeth, professor of foreign languages and literatures, and Dr. Allen Hibbard, English professor and director of the MTSU Middle East Center, can assure students of a deeper, more comprehensive understanding of the Middle East than that which is afforded by news stories reported in the general media. Contact the University Honors College at 615-898-2152.