The Helmholtz Curves: Tracing Lost Time (Forms of Living)

Discover the fascinating intersection of science, literature, and philosophy in Henning Schmidgen's "The Helmholtz Curves: Tracing Lost Time (Forms of Living)". This groundbreaking work delves into the concept of "lost time" as explored by two intellectual giants of the 19th century: the pioneering German physiologist Hermann von Helmholtz and the celebrated French novelist Marcel Proust. Schmidgen's investigation begins with a remarkable archival find curve images produced by Helmholtz during his groundbreaking 1851 experiments on the temporality of the nervous system. Using a "frog drawing machine," Helmholtz meticulously charted the temporal gap between stimulus and response, a discovery that sparked enduring debates between neuroscientists and philosophers about the nature of perception and reaction. These experiments, visualized through the now-famous Helmholtz Curves, laid the groundwork for our understanding of neural latency and processing. Intriguingly, Helmholtz himself coined the term "temps perdu," or lost time, to describe the phenomena he observed. Schmidgen masterfully connects this scientific terminology to the literary world of Marcel Proust. He reveals Proust's deep engagement with the biomedical landscape of late-19th-century Paris, highlighting his familiarity with Helmholtz's work and the physiological tracing technologies of the time. "In Search of Lost Time" ( la recherche du temps perdu) is not just a literary masterpiece but a profound meditation on memory, perception, and the elusive nature of time itself. This book argues that Proust was, in effect, participating in a scientific discourse about the nature of time, memory, and the human nervous system. Drawing upon the machine philosophy of Gilles Deleuze, Schmidgen illuminates the striking parallels between the machinic assemblages and rhizomatic networks within which both Helmholtz and Proust operated. Both figures, in their respective domains, constructed elaborate systems for capturing and analyzing the flow of time, whether through physiological experiments or literary prose. "The Helmholtz Curves" is not simply a historical account; it's a thought-provoking exploration of the shared intellectual currents that shaped scientific and artistic thought in the 19th century. Schmidgen expertly weaves together scientific discovery, literary analysis, and philosophical inquiry to offer a fresh perspective on the works of Helmholtz and Proust, revealing a deeper understanding of how we perceive, remember, and experience time. This edition is a translation. Perfect for readers interested in literature, science, history of medicine, philosophy, and the history of science. This book invites us to consider how technology and art interact to shape our understanding of the human condition.