In a recent paper, Hauser and Watmull 3 propose that these and other cognitive functions, may all be the product of a universal generative faculty of the brain, and idea that in other terms was also discussed by Jackendoff 4. Music, maths and language share in common the ability to create and understand strings of symbols that allow “infinite” combinations. There is an interesting discussion on the evolutionary origin of such faculties, and their potential common roots, and the question of whether there are common neural mechanisms behind their formal similarities. Brain imaging techniques show both that music, maths and language share the preferential activation of brain areas, and that they may require specific modules recruited for specific aspects of each ability. The effects of localised neurological injuries show that sometimes these faculties are associated, but also that sometimes they can be dissociated as in the case of certain forms of amusia, the inability to process different aspects of music in the absence of other cognitive defect. Neuroscientists have been actively studying the neural processes associated with music, language and maths (see 1 2). But, of course it may be that they share deeper and common neural mechanisms, and this is why they develop together. The assumption behind this view is that language and music are independent abilities that are different enough so they can interact. Their mutual relationships frequently appear in the scientific literature as studies on the influence of one of these abilities on another, say the effects of music on maths or linguistic abilities, or vice versa.
This thinking is not only a common place, but it also underlies a variety of scientific studies aiming at finding interactions and commonalities in the neural mechanisms that underlie the above so called “human faculties”.
We frequently refer to maths or music as “languages” and when describing music it is common to use terms like “musical lexicon” for the repertoire of schemas used by composers to produce music or those we use to listen and enjoy it. We know that they share common abstract properties and their associated skills and abilities seem to develop in association. The view that music, maths and language are related is quite widespread. Author: Fernando Giraldez is currently Professor of Physiology at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra of Barcelona, and has a broad experience in teaching and research in Neuroscience and Developmental Biology.
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