Richard E. Cytowic

Richard E. Cytowic, MD, MFA, is a pioneering neurologist and Professor of Neurology at George Washington University. He is best known for bringing the phenomenon of synesthesia—where the senses blend, such as tasting shapes or hearing colors—back into mainstream science. His work overturned the scientific consensus that dismissed synesthesia as mere imagination.\n\nHe is the author of The Man Who Tasted Shapes and Your Stone-Age Brain in the Screen Age. Dr. Cytowic’s writing explores the quirks of human perception and how our ancient biology interacts with modern technology. He combines clinical case studies with philosophy to explain how the brain constructs reality. His work emphasizes the importance of emotion and sensory experience in human intelligence.