Embodying Investigations of Cerebral Palsy. A Case of Open Cognitive Science

Kristian Moltke Martiny defends his PhD thesis.

 

The main question of Kristian Martiny’s dissertation is: how do we help persons living with the brain damage, cerebral palsy (CP)? This question is as complex and difficult to answer as any healthcare question. Martiny argues that we need to ‘open up’ how we do (cognitive) science in order to understand what it means for persons to live with CP and then figure out how we should help them. Based on his method of open-minded cognitive science, Martiny presents data on neuro-physiological, psychological and social aspects of living with CP. From this theoretical work, Martiny develops an embodied-based model of intervention for CP, focusing on the experience of self-control as a way to help people with CP. In addition, a theatre performance, Humane Liquidation, and a documentary film, Natural Disorder, are developed so as to both communicate what it means to live with CP and empower persons with CP, their families and friends, as well as people for whom such insights might be of relevance.

 

Assessment Committee

  • Associate Professor Søren Overgaard (University of Copenhagen)
  • Senior Researcher Erik Rietveld (University of Amsterdam) 
  • Professor Jonathan Cole (Poole Hospital NHS Foundation Trust)

Moderator of the defence

  • Professor Finn Collin (University of Copenhagen)

Copies of the thesis are available for consultation at the following three places: at the Information Desk of the Library of the Faculty of Humanities; in Reading Room East of the Royal Library (the Black Diamond); and at the Department of Media, Cognition and Communication, Karen Blixens Vej 4.