Running Head: IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF NEUROSCIENCE AND ANTHROPOLOGY 1

The Applications of Music: In the Perspective of Neuroscience and Anthropology

Angela Ma

University of California, Santa Barbara

Writing 2, Professor Valentina Fahler

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From a tree trunk, branches grow up and outwards with more growing from those. Each

branch can be traced back to the tree trunk—the base. As you follow a branch into another

branch, they get thinner and thinner. Academic communities can be represented by the various

branches coming from a trunk—genres. As you follow the branches from genres, you get

communities that become more specific, like how branches become thinner the further you go.

For example, genre branches into science, to neurology, to neuropsychiatry. A key difference

between these various academic disciplines is how claims, evidence, and analyses are presented

within it. As Johns mentions, members of specific disciplines share an even more specific

discourse, where "language, knowledge, and values" are shared (Johns, 1997, p. 567). These

specific discourses create a type of niche writing that differentiates how the community interacts

with their audience. This is well represented by the juxtaposition between neurology and

anthropology in the topic of music applications, where the branches have diverged and become

more specific. The academic discourse in these communities have differences shown by the

varying language, how each presents evidence to their audience, and how articles are organized.

The use of language in neurology and anthropology tends to consist of words structured

in a certain way that is particular to the discipline, which is based on who their audience is. A

varying audience shifts the language writers will use to interact with their audience. Trimble

and Hesdorffer, in their journal article on music and neurology, use language intended for other

professionals in the field; and because of this intention, the language seen in the article is

straightforward and informative. The article takes on a passive tone, only having the purpose to

present their claims, evidence, and analyses with the use of logos—the use of reasoning to

persuade their audience. The authors would simply write, “Music provides and provokes a
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response…” (Trimble & Hesdorffer, 2017, p. 30), adopting a clear and concise explanation of

what music does. The authors are more inclined to use logical and straightforward language.

Furthermore, the article uses words such as “cyclothymia” or “electroencephalographic spike

frequency,” which require background knowledge in the discipline to understand (Trimble &

Hesdorffer, 2017, p. 30). The authors have an expectation that the reader already knows what

these words mean. This assumption is what the paper is based on—the audience. On the other

hand, Blacking, in his article on the anthropological view of music, uses a sincere and friendly

tone, as well as language a broader audience can understand. Blacking’s article wrote, “My

experiences as a participant…” (Blacking, 1969, p. 33). The language the author used is

personal. The pronouns I and my expresses a connection to the reader, wanting the audience to

also relate to the writing. This form of writing uses pathos—appeal to the audience—compared

to logos, which neurology tends to use. Blacking also writes, “Music is sound that is organized

into socially accepted patterns…” (Blacking, 1969, p. 36). Compared to the way Trimble and

Hesdorffer described music, Blacking has an approach that relates more to society and not only

their discipline. The article was written with the intention of having a varied audience,

compared to a specific professional audience. The varying language leads to varying ways of

structuring sentences in the academic disciplines as well.

In order to have a persuasive argument, a writer will use evidence to support claims; and

there are various ways to present and cite evidence. The two disciplines present evidence in a

contrasting manner that caters to their intended audience and the purpose of the article. Trimble

and Hesdorffer present their evidence in APA format; where the set of guidelines is consistent

throughout the science disciplines. In-text citations are a key factor in these guidelines and
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include the author’s last name, as well as the date of publication. In a paraphrased piece of

evidence, Trimble and Hesdorffer (2017) cited, “...that even imagining music activates areas on

this side of the brain (Blood ​et al​, 1999).” (para. 8). In-text citations offer a brief summary

about the source, with the full summary on a reference page. On the other hand, Chicago Style

sets their citations using mainly footnotes. Blacking takes advantage of the Chicago Style and

uses the footnotes to provide far more information on the sources used within the page. On

each page the footer contains a full citation (the first time the article is mentioned) of evidence

used on the page. This allows the reader to learn about the accredited source without having to

flip to the reference page consistently. The type of evidence the two disciplines use to talk about

the same topic varies as well. Trimble and Hesdorffer (2017) writes with evidence that is factual

and directly related to the brain; such as, “...cerebral and limbic activity and cerebral rhythms,

are therapeutic possibilities which are currently being investigated (Bodner ​et al,​ 2012).” (para.

15). This is a prime example of how Trimble and Hesdorffer, as well as many other papers in

neurology, use evidence and reasoning to further their argument. Contrastingly, Blacking quotes

historical figures, rather than other researchers and statistical information. Blacking (1969)

quotes Tolstoy, “...in music, as in the other arts, one man “hands on to others feelings he has

lived through…”​18​.” (p. 39). The evidence presented by Blacking, and Trimble and Hesdordder

display a keystone factor in how the two academic disciplines vary in their writings. The

variation stems from how the discipline progresses. In neuroscience, the presented evidence

relates to more recent papers; as neuroscience progresses, articles are going to based on recent

studies. Anthropology has been studied throughout history, as it pertains to human culture and

development; thus allowing evidence to be connected to more historical examples.

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The two disciplines are also contrasting in manner the articles were organized. Trimble

and Hesdorffer (2017) writes with clearly outlined sections such as “Abstract” or “The

experience of music” (para. 1, 8). These sections allow readers to reference back to general

topics and find specific information with ease. The way Trimble and Hesdorffer wrote their

article was as if they were testing a hypothesis. Blacking’s article was formatted similar to a

book and written to analyze the value of music throughout history. Since it is part of a journal,

the article is organized by page numbers and sections as well. However, unlike Trimble and

Hesdorffer, Blacking had longer sections akin to chapters in a book and explained things

thoroughly. Blacking’s article was published in a compilation of papers related to one larger

topic; whereas Trimble and Hesdorffer were published as a standalone piece. Being a

standalone piece versus a piece published with other papers tailors how the articles are written

and formatted because the purpose and intended audience, regardless of profession and

understanding of the topic, changes the way the paper was written. Standalone pieces

potentially have larger audiences because they are an individual and specific piece. Pieces

published in a journal tend to have a slightly smaller audience due to the fact that there is more

to read and people generally have less time to read. This represents how the scholarly

community within the disciplines works and what the general guidelines are in the discourse.

Neurology and anthropology are two different academic disciplines. The syntax and

format of articles from both disciplines had their own set of guidelines generally upheld in the

discipline’s community. The two articles represent how logos and pathos affect the language

and the form of evidence used by the authors. . Trimble and Hesdorffer wrote in a similar

fashion to logos; with logic and facts about music applications for psychiatric disorders.
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Blacking wrote similarly to pathos, speaking about his own personal experiences and being able

to relate more to the audience by using a personal tone that appeals to an audience. As Lunsford

et al. states, “Academic argument covers a wide range of writing…” (Lunsford ​et al,​ 2016, p.

380). Both neurology and anthropology represents how academic articles can be written

differently and have the same goal of appealing to the audience. However, as far as they are in

the branchings of a tree, they are still linked together by genre (the trunk). Genres are used in

order to respond to a situation, catering to a specific audience and fulfilling a purpose.

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References

Blacking, J. (1969). The Value of Music in Human Experience. ​Yearbook of the International

Folk Music Council​, ​1​, 33​–​71. https://doi.org/10.2307/767634

Johns, Ann M. ​(1997). ​"Discourse Communities and Communities of Practice: Membership,

Conflict, and Diversity." ​Text, Role, and Context: Developing Academic Literacies.

Cambridge, New Yoric Cambridge UP, 51​–​70.

https://doi.org/10.1017/cbo9781139524650.006

Lunsford, A. A., Ruszkiewicz, J. J., & Walters, K. (2016). ​Everything’s an Argument with

Readings with 2016 MLA Update​ (Seventh ed.). Bedford/St. Martin’s, 379​–​411.

Trimble, M., & Hesdorffer, D. (2017). Music and the brain: the neuroscience of music and

musical appreciation. ​BJPsych international,​ ​14(​ 2), 28–31.

https://doi.org/10.1192/s2056474000001720