An Opinion on Werner Herzog’s Film “Theatre of Thought”

Abstract

This paper was originally prepared as part of the author’s proposed special JNphi issue on Werner Herzog’s film on the prospects of 21^st century of neuroscience, “Theatre of Thought”, released in 2024.  Whether the limited contribution to this issue was due to the film’s restricted public showing, problematic online availability or difficulty to generate interest in the neuroscientist community – this was not possible to determine.  The movie itself was the continuation of the director’s previous documentaries on the highest level of human intellectual products.  As such, the film effectively introduced to the viewer such highlights of contemporary neuroscience as experimenting with optogenetics, using deep brain stimulation for Parkinson’s disease therapy or capturing the mind with innovative brain circulation tests.   On the other hand, the film was burdened with a mass of unexplained information and even scientifically questionable experimental demonstrations.  As all films by this genius artist, the “Theatre of Thought” was also permeated with a pessimistic outlook on human creative endeavors, be they as mysterious as worthy of our admiration.