Brain Waves, A Cultural History: Oscillations of Neuroscience, Technology, Telepathy, and Transcendence Caitlin Shure Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy under the Executive Committee of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2018 © 2018 Caitlin Shure All rights reserved ABSTRACT Brain Waves, A Cultural History: Oscillations of Neuroscience, Technology, Telepathy, and Transcendence Caitlin Shure This project proceeds from a narrow question: What, if anything, is a brain wave? Beguiling in its simplicity, this question prompts a cultural-historical investigation that spans over 150 years of science, technology, and society. Proposed in 1869, the original theory of brain waves cites etheric undulations to explain reports of apparent thought transference. Though most modern thinkers no longer believe in outright telepathy, I argue that dreams of thought transmission and other mental miracles subtly persist—not in obscure and occult circles, but at the forefront of technoscience. A hybrid of science and fiction, brain waves represent an ideal subject through which to explore the ways in which technical language shrouds spiritual dreams. Today, the phrase “brain waves” often function as shorthand for electrical changes in the brain, particularly in the context of technologies that purport to “read” some aspect of mental function, or to transmit neural data to a digital device. While such technologies appear uniquely modern, the history of brain waves reveals that they are merely the millennial incarnation of a much older hope—a hope for transmission and transcendence via the brain’s emanations. TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v DEDICATION ................................................................................................................... ix Chapter 1. Introduction: Wave Hello .................................................................................. 1 So. What Is a Brain Wave? ..................................................................................................... 3 Within a Larger Wave of Brains .......................................................................................... 9 Waves Out of Water .............................................................................................................. 14 Cortical Communications ................................................................................................... 18 References ................................................................................................................................. 24 Chapter 2. Early Ripples ................................................................................................... 27 Magnetic Musings .................................................................................................................. 29 Od(d) Experimentation ....................................................................................................... 32 A "Telegraphic Universe" .................................................................................................... 36 A Theory ..................................................................................................................................... 41 Science Meets Séance ........................................................................................................... 44 "A Word Which Would Live" ............................................................................................. 49 References ................................................................................................................................. 51 Chapter 3. Something’s in the Air .................................................................................... 56 Of Wires and Waves .............................................................................................................. 57 Going Wireless ......................................................................................................................... 59 An Electromagnetic Ocean ................................................................................................. 62 Playing with Waves: Hugo Gernsback & The Amateur Electrician .................. 69 Pseudo-Science-Fiction ....................................................................................................... 78 References ................................................................................................................................. 80 Chapter 4. Making Waves with Hans Berger (and sans Berger) ...................................... 85 The Nerve of It All .................................................................................................................. 86 Berger & His Machine ........................................................................................................... 89 Amplifying the Signal ........................................................................................................... 96 Finding Brain Waves…Everywhere ................................................................................ 99 Interpreting EEG .................................................................................................................. 102 Becoming Brain Waves ..................................................................................................... 106 References .............................................................................................................................. 112 i Chapter 5. Waves Meet Computers ................................................................................ 118 Reflexive Reflections ......................................................................................................... 119 Cells to Cyber ........................................................................................................................ 123 EEG in War and Peace ....................................................................................................... 128 Shades of Grey Walter ....................................................................................................... 132 Giant Brains, Vanishing Brains ...................................................................................... 140 Wave-Particle Duality ....................................................................................................... 143 References .............................................................................................................................. 146 Chapter 6. “Electronic Nirvana” ..................................................................................... 152 Ground Control to Major Technological Innovation ............................................ 154 Dream On, EEG On .............................................................................................................. 159 Positive Feedback ............................................................................................................... 162 The Age of Aquarius Alpha .............................................................................................. 165 Good Vibrations ................................................................................................................... 170 Zen and the Art of Alpha Maintenance ...................................................................... 173 Selling Brain Waves ............................................................................................................ 176 A Sea of Many Waves ......................................................................................................... 179 References .............................................................................................................................. 182 Chapter 7. Waves ‘n’ Stuff ............................................................................................. 189 Brain Stuff ............................................................................................................................... 190 Chemical People ................................................................................................................... 195 Reclaiming Territory ......................................................................................................... 200 What's Your Function? ...................................................................................................... 207 "New Technology, New Tensions" ............................................................................... 211 Waves among Stoff ............................................................................................................. 216 References .............................................................................................................................. 217 Chapter 8. Unlocking Skulls ........................................................................................... 224 Brain Control ......................................................................................................................... 225 Unlocked ................................................................................................................................. 229 "The Truth Will Out"