Expository Essay: This is Your Brain on Music

Is music simply an evolutionary side effect or is it a legitimate part of human development?

Cognitive scientist Steven Pinker has argued that music is simply a byproduct of language, no more than an evolutionary “spandrel.” And he has dismissed music as “auditory cheesecake,” which “just happens to tickle several important parts of the brain in a highly pleasurable way, as cheesecake tickles the palate.” In fact, he claims that, “as far as biological cause and effect are concerned, music is useless.” Daniel J. Levitan takes the opposite view of music and, in This is Your Brain on Music, he attempts to refute Pinker’s theory by citing some of the latest cognitive science. In a concise essay, briefly outline some of Levitan’s key rebuttals of Pinker’s argument about music. Cite specific evidence from This is Your Brain on Music  to support your thesis.

Note: Levitan's official website includes an extensive playlist of songs mentioned in the book, along with an explanation of the musical concept illustrated in each. Find the list here.

Requirements:

• MLA Style, including parenthetical citation
• 3-page minimum
• Include a works cited page

The best papers will:

• Stay within the parameters of the prompt, detailing Levitan's rebuttal
• Have a concise thesis that both addresses the subject matter and  contains a viable argument
• Clearly support their thesis utilizing solid evidence presented in a logical structure
• Properly cite evidence from This is Your Brain on Music  using MLA's parenthetical citation method
• Conclude with a summation of the main points
• Be formatted according to MLA Style 

Due: Wednesday, Sept. 19th