War and Art: Brain Injuries, Trauma, and Empathy

Because the activities of war are interwoven with all aspects of human life, combat has a unique position neuroculturally. Wars stimulate medical advancements, create a need for therapeutics, and foster a range of artistic reactions, such as the trauma evident in Picasso’s Guernica, a cry against war. All of these subjects are discussed in this chapter, along with how humanity’s urge to heal, to prevent illness, and to alleviate pain and injury led to the use of neuropsychological rehabilitation strategies in both World War I and World War II. This chapter also examines how the wounds of war bring up a range of behavioral and psychological issues for healers, those who suffer from combat, and those in the culture at large.