Bi-cameral brains in depth
Keith Davis
kbob42 at gmail.com
Wed Feb 3 07:07:32 CST 2016
Can any of my fellow anarchists out there in P land tell me why my own posts don't show up in threads on my phone or iPad? They show up on the computer...
Sent from my iPad
> On Feb 3, 2016, at 5:02 AM, Mark Kohut <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> That there anarchy that keeps popping up in P's work, it's embodied here.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Feb 2, 2016, at 9:54 PM, John Bailey <sundayjb at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Yes and as far as I know the people who made the list have nothing to
>> do with it now. It's not only unmoderated, it's not possible to do
>> things like remove people from it. Which is pretty anarchic,
>> rhizomatic, decentralised.
>>
>>> On Wed, Feb 3, 2016 at 11:29 AM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> The P-list has a long proud tradition of being unmoderated, with its
>>> resultant grand flame wars and relentless trolls. Bove won't change that.
>>> He has been mild in comparison.
>>>
>>> David Morris
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Tuesday, February 2, 2016, Mark Thibodeau <jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Q: Why is Bove still allowed to participate here? His first message to
>>>> this group was essentially a single-sentence hate-utterance, and he
>>>> OBJECTIVELY wallows in his ignorance as though parading in his glory.
>>>>
>>>> He's a classic troll. Time to fumigate the bridge.
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> Jerky LeBoeuf, esq.
>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, Feb 2, 2016 at 9:52 AM, Keith Davis <kbob42 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> Check out this video: http://youtu.be/s1ZoEE9Kgu0
>>>>>
>>>>> Www.innergroovemusic.com
>>>>>
>>>>> On Feb 2, 2016, at 3:40 AM, Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Not sure where you're getting your fluff there, Bove. I never said
>>>>> anything
>>>>> about anything Al Huang said or did. Your attempt to dismiss the current
>>>>> hard science on how the central nervous system works by looking for
>>>>> holes in
>>>>> a few casual statements sounds a bit like a drunken spiel. Why houses?
>>>>> Because I felt like saying houses, that's why. Now pick up a few good
>>>>> current texts on neuroscience and do some reading before you get too far
>>>>> into your next fifth.
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 8:27 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Bove,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> By illogical, I would cite your obvious arrogance, opposing so much
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> you have never even tried to experience. This realm of reality is known
>>>>>> best
>>>>>> by personal experience. "My back doesn't hurt" is just the first layer
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> that kind of experience, as wonderful as is that kind of healing. But
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> first step in the path of experiencing that reality is humility, which
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> lack in spades. Your choice.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> David Morris
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Monday, February 1, 2016, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>>>> From: David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> Date: Monday, February 1, 2016
>>>>>>> Subject: Bi-cameral brains in depth
>>>>>>> To: john bove <malignd at gmx.com>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Your faith in Science above all other knowledge is illogical.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 10:47 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Bove,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> You somehow think your measure of reality is superior because it is
>>>>>>>> somehow "objective?" But your objectivity discounts multitudes of
>>>>>>>> eons of
>>>>>>>> subjective observation. Call it what you will, but it is deep in the
>>>>>>>> genes.
>>>>>>>> Your standard is modern, but not inherently superior. It has its
>>>>>>>> benefits,
>>>>>>>> but its horrors are also rife. A real scientist would look at the
>>>>>>>> eons of
>>>>>>>> other esoteric sciences and be less hostile. They don't threaten you.
>>>>>>>> They
>>>>>>>> don't care about you. Truth will prevail.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> David Morris
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 5:39 PM, john bove <malignd at gmx.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I'm not picking a fight. I'm in fact doing the opposite, trying to
>>>>>>>>> take
>>>>>>>>> this seriously. But Chunlian Al Huang said or did this, and
>>>>>>>>> Spinoza
>>>>>>>>> thought that in the 15th century and even Nietsche gave it a green
>>>>>>>>> light ...
>>>>>>>>> The two houses of the brain ... (Why "houses"?), natural wisdom, a
>>>>>>>>> helix
>>>>>>>>> curved ... By any standard this is laughable non-science, and so
>>>>>>>>> you have
>>>>>>>>> to fall back on the argument that science misses important keys of
>>>>>>>>> knowledge
>>>>>>>>> or undiscovered pathways or the wisdom of the ancients or whatever.
>>>>>>>>> If you
>>>>>>>>> can't do better than that or, instead, offer up anecdotal evidence
>>>>>>>>> ("my
>>>>>>>>> backache's gone!"), it's on the level of astrology.
>>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, February 01, 2016 at 2:20 PM
>>>>>>>>> From: "Ian Livingston" <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> To: "ish mailian" <ishmailian at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> Cc: "pynchon -l" <Pynchon-l at waste.org>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: Bi-cameral brains in depth
>>>>>>>>> Keith, my teacher's teacher was Chunliang Al Huang. It is a less
>>>>>>>>> martial, more simply chi-oriented style that resembles dance more
>>>>>>>>> than
>>>>>>>>> combat-training--but, then, tai chi chuan resembles dance in
>>>>>>>>> individual
>>>>>>>>> practice anyhow, doesn't it?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Joseph, there is indeed support for the linear / holistic activities
>>>>>>>>> for recognizing a division of labor between the two houses of the
>>>>>>>>> brain.
>>>>>>>>> Language is associated with the left brain, so pretty much all we
>>>>>>>>> express in
>>>>>>>>> linguistic terms (remembering that mathematics is a language, as may
>>>>>>>>> movement be) is dominated by left-brain activity. That, of course,
>>>>>>>>> implies
>>>>>>>>> that even the most finely-honed linguistic approaches to expression
>>>>>>>>> also
>>>>>>>>> engage the broader, synthetic functions of the creative, visionary
>>>>>>>>> areas of
>>>>>>>>> the right brain. I look forward to reading The M & Em.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> And pain, yes. Some of the neurons associated with pain messages
>>>>>>>>> extend
>>>>>>>>> the entire distance from the mid-brain to the tip of the big toe.
>>>>>>>>> That can
>>>>>>>>> be a 7' long neuron. Don't know where I'm going with that, but,
>>>>>>>>> hey--it's
>>>>>>>>> just one of those remarkable factoids contained within the fact of
>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>> non-duality of the body and mental activity. It still fascinates me
>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>> Spinoza postulated that argument so effectively in the 15th c.
>>>>>>>>> That's quite
>>>>>>>>> a stretch for a lens grinder! For all his eagerness to dismiss
>>>>>>>>> Spinoza for
>>>>>>>>> his methods, even Nietzsche embraced the rightness of his thought.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 3:47 AM, ish mailian <ishmailian at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> In this brief and simple piece some of the ideas discussed here
>>>>>>>>>> recently are addressed. One of the ideas is the Natural wisdom we
>>>>>>>>>> have, of our bodies, bodies that are not separate from our heads or
>>>>>>>>>> minds, not divided. . We got here without much of modern
>>>>>>>>>> medicine's
>>>>>>>>>> miracles. The miracle of conception, of two sharing the energies of
>>>>>>>>>> life, the double, is a black hole, is a helix curved.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Does Lamaze “Work”?
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3431777/
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> https://www.timeshighereducation.com/content/book-review-black-hole-by-marcia-bartusiak
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/12/lifes-greatest-secret-story-race-genetic-code-matthew-cobb-review
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 12:09 AM, Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net>
>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> Just caught your reply tonight. Thanks for the feedback. Your
>>>>>>>>>>> experience with accupuncture, where the healing takes place
>>>>>>>>>>> overnight, is
>>>>>>>>>>> typical of several people I have talked with and my own
>>>>>>>>>>> experience. Makes me
>>>>>>>>>>> think pain works in the brain in a self-reinforcing cycle. I find
>>>>>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>>>>>> sending consciousness and , in my imagination, breath/chi to an
>>>>>>>>>>> aggravated
>>>>>>>>>>> or painful area while doing qigong exercises has reliably good
>>>>>>>>>>> results.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> As far as the hemisphere differences, McGilchrist often repeats
>>>>>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>>>>>> your studies are saying that complex processes engage more than
>>>>>>>>>>> one
>>>>>>>>>>> hemisphere. But it does seem irrefutable that when there is for
>>>>>>>>>>> instance a
>>>>>>>>>>> stroke that severely impairs one hemisphere or the other the
>>>>>>>>>>> disabilities
>>>>>>>>>>> are dramatically different for each and fall into distinct
>>>>>>>>>>> patterns of
>>>>>>>>>>> effect that point both to the kinds of things that each hemispere
>>>>>>>>>>> is likely
>>>>>>>>>>> to handle and to the way each side processes personal experiences
>>>>>>>>>>> and mental
>>>>>>>>>>> tasks. Of course what is hard to tell by that means would be
>>>>>>>>>>> something that
>>>>>>>>>>> initiates in one hemispere and is sent to the other for the bulk
>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>> processing. But his extensive citations show he is not alone in
>>>>>>>>>>> his leanings
>>>>>>>>>>> about some general and specific differences between the
>>>>>>>>>>> hemisperes.
>>>>>>>>>>> McGilchrists mastery of the current reasearch is not of a
>>>>>>>>>>> pop-science
>>>>>>>>>>> quality, but the expression of a life devoted to brain research
>>>>>>>>>>> and its
>>>>>>>>>>> interpretation in a larger context.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 27, 2016, at 4:00 AM, Ian Livingston
>>>>>>>>>>>> <igrlivingston at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> A single accupuncture treatment cured my sciatica a decade ago
>>>>>>>>>>>> after I had thrown useless hundreds away on massage therapy and
>>>>>>>>>>>> chiropractic
>>>>>>>>>>>> treatment. The next step was to be weeks of bed rest I could not
>>>>>>>>>>>> afford
>>>>>>>>>>>> combined with pain meds. Would've cost thousands in lost work
>>>>>>>>>>>> and expenses.
>>>>>>>>>>>> On a whim, because I figured I had nothing to lose, I stopped at
>>>>>>>>>>>> an
>>>>>>>>>>>> accupuncture school in Santa Cruz, Ca, where I lived at the
>>>>>>>>>>>> time, and got a
>>>>>>>>>>>> low-cost treatment from an advanced student. That night the pain
>>>>>>>>>>>> was
>>>>>>>>>>>> incredible, but I eventually fell asleep and woke in the morning
>>>>>>>>>>>> pain-free,
>>>>>>>>>>>> with full range of motion. True story. I took up tai chi chuan
>>>>>>>>>>>> as a
>>>>>>>>>>>> maintenance plan, and have had no flare-ups of the pain I
>>>>>>>>>>>> experienced while
>>>>>>>>>>>> trying to climb trees (I was a full-time arborist then) and
>>>>>>>>>>>> carry heavy logs
>>>>>>>>>>>> and limbs, and generally bend, lift and twist 8 hours a day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I do not understand all the energy theories. I've been at the
>>>>>>>>>>>> fringes of all that stuff for decades, on and off, of course,
>>>>>>>>>>>> but I've
>>>>>>>>>>>> mostly worked in heavy labor and played in book-learning. It was
>>>>>>>>>>>> shortly
>>>>>>>>>>>> after the incident with the sciatica that I took up a serious
>>>>>>>>>>>> Zen meditation
>>>>>>>>>>>> practice, which did wonders for helping me to stop smoking and
>>>>>>>>>>>> quit caffeine
>>>>>>>>>>>> without anxiety or cravings. I went on to study Chinese alchemy
>>>>>>>>>>>> as a result
>>>>>>>>>>>> of reading Jung on the subject, and found myself in agreement
>>>>>>>>>>>> with him that
>>>>>>>>>>>> alchemy is indeed a psychological pursuit of integrity on a
>>>>>>>>>>>> relatively
>>>>>>>>>>>> subtle level. There's a terrific little intro book used in
>>>>>>>>>>>> Traditional
>>>>>>>>>>>> Chinese Medicine schools here in CA, The Web That Has No Weaver.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Worth a
>>>>>>>>>>>> look.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> In direct response to your query, Joseph, my profs were cautious
>>>>>>>>>>>> about the left-brain / right-brain differentiation primarily
>>>>>>>>>>>> because recent
>>>>>>>>>>>> work with fMRI studies shows that, when complex problems are
>>>>>>>>>>>> presented, the
>>>>>>>>>>>> whole brain lights up, with higher activity levels in some areas
>>>>>>>>>>>> than in
>>>>>>>>>>>> others. Also, the role of the corpus collosum appears to be that
>>>>>>>>>>>> of making
>>>>>>>>>>>> sure that action potentials carry effectively between the two
>>>>>>>>>>>> cerebral
>>>>>>>>>>>> lobes. Furthermore, it would be false to say that the entire
>>>>>>>>>>>> brain is
>>>>>>>>>>>> divided by the corpus collosum. Only the cerebral cortex is thus
>>>>>>>>>>>> divided and
>>>>>>>>>>>> united, as it were. The why of that is the study of a great many
>>>>>>>>>>>> lifetimes.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Maybe humans will someday know. One of the darkest areas of
>>>>>>>>>>>> brain research
>>>>>>>>>>>> is still to do with neurotransmitters. Research reveals how they
>>>>>>>>>>>> work in
>>>>>>>>>>>> synapses, but how many operate within the brain is still
>>>>>>>>>>>> anybody's guess,
>>>>>>>>>>>> and the functions of only a very few are known. Folks are
>>>>>>>>>>>> discovering new
>>>>>>>>>>>> ones all the time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'll leave off with a wonderful quote from one of my neuropsych
>>>>>>>>>>>> texts: "The number of possible synaptic connections in a normal
>>>>>>>>>>>> human brain
>>>>>>>>>>>> exceeds the number molecules in the known universe." I suspect
>>>>>>>>>>>> it'll be a
>>>>>>>>>>>> while before we fully understand an organ with that level of
>>>>>>>>>>>> potential
>>>>>>>>>>>> complexity.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, Jan 26, 2016 at 6:44 PM, Joseph Tracy <brook7 at sover.net>
>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> The Chinese have been working with energy flow for thousands of
>>>>>>>>>>>> years and have developed a medical system based on it that is
>>>>>>>>>>>> very
>>>>>>>>>>>> effective. The west too is beginning to study the flow of low
>>>>>>>>>>>> level electric
>>>>>>>>>>>> charge in the body. Many would have mocked mindfulness
>>>>>>>>>>>> meditation as
>>>>>>>>>>>> having any value a decade ago. Now, based on clinical trials, it
>>>>>>>>>>>> is being
>>>>>>>>>>>> incorporated into western medical practice. Tibetan herbs are
>>>>>>>>>>>> being used in
>>>>>>>>>>>> medical operations in Israel to minimize drug side effects and
>>>>>>>>>>>> improve the
>>>>>>>>>>>> speed and comfort of healing. Such herbs are being studied in
>>>>>>>>>>>> Switzerland
>>>>>>>>>>>> and Germany for the treatment of high cholesterol.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> At 64 i have personally only found increased flexibility, better
>>>>>>>>>>>> posture, improved non drug -dependent energy levels, and other
>>>>>>>>>>>> sometimes
>>>>>>>>>>>> dramatically positive effects from yoga, acupuncture, tai chi
>>>>>>>>>>>> and qigong. I
>>>>>>>>>>>> teach a small class on qi-gong and tai chi and others report
>>>>>>>>>>>> similar
>>>>>>>>>>>> positive results.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I understand and practice skepticism. I see from a friends post
>>>>>>>>>>>> that the Dalai Lama is going in for prostate surgery. No
>>>>>>>>>>>> Kundalini bolt up
>>>>>>>>>>>> the spine for me so far. I don’t so much believe in energy
>>>>>>>>>>>> meridians as
>>>>>>>>>>>> hold them in my mind as a map, and pay attention to my actual
>>>>>>>>>>>> experience
>>>>>>>>>>>> with qigong practices. Accupuncture can be simply amazing for
>>>>>>>>>>>> things that
>>>>>>>>>>>> doctors can’t seem to treat. Myself and several very rational
>>>>>>>>>>>> friends have
>>>>>>>>>>>> seen severe chronic pain from an injury disappear overnight
>>>>>>>>>>>> through
>>>>>>>>>>>> accupuncture.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 26, 2016, at 4:38 PM, john bove <malignd at gmx.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> And you too? The Kundalini awakening??? Good luck.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sent: Monday, January 25, 2016 at 4:33 PM
>>>>>>>>>>>>> From: "Joseph Tracy" <brook7 at sover.net>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> To: "P-list List" <pynchon-l at waste.org>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Subject: Re: Bi-cameral brains in depth
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Very interesting response in that I am myself very engaged
>>>>>>>>>>>>> currently with trying to learn to meditate with particular
>>>>>>>>>>>>> interest in the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kundalini awakening. For years I have done yoga and for the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> last 3 years
>>>>>>>>>>>>> have shifted my interest to qigong and tai chi. But for a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> couple months now
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have been trying to meditate and doing some breath
>>>>>>>>>>>>> practices. If you have
>>>>>>>>>>>>> any personal thoughts or advice or suggestions for reading or
>>>>>>>>>>>>> online info, I
>>>>>>>>>>>>> would be interested. With qigong I am experiencing very
>>>>>>>>>>>>> discernible warmth
>>>>>>>>>>>>> and tingling in my arms and hands and have been able to
>>>>>>>>>>>>> profoundly and at
>>>>>>>>>>>>> least for 2 months now, completely relieve some muscle knots
>>>>>>>>>>>>> in my left
>>>>>>>>>>>>> shoulder and neck - knots that had been with me for probably
>>>>>>>>>>>>> cloose to a
>>>>>>>>>>>>> decade.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> In general it seems that asian philosophies and practices have
>>>>>>>>>>>>> much greater emphasis on balance. The idea/knowledge base that
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the central
>>>>>>>>>>>>> channel has no power of its own is something I had missed but
>>>>>>>>>>>>> really fits
>>>>>>>>>>>>> with role of emptiness in Taoism and Tibetan Buddhism. Anyway
>>>>>>>>>>>>> thanks, David.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> This one went right past the conversation at hand to hit dead
>>>>>>>>>>>>> center of my
>>>>>>>>>>>>> own interests and pursuits.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 25, 2016, at 4:00 PM, David Morris
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <fqmorris at gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In Eastern meditation/spiritual schools there is a concept
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Kundalini energy that is the life-source of all animated
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> flesh. This model
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is part of the ages-old Chakra system that illustrates the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> pathways of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> something called the "subtle body." In that model chakras
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> are nodes of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> energy passage, crossings along the vertical main highways
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of the three main
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> energy channels: the Right side (Bingala Nadi), the Left
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> side (Ida Nali),
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and the Central channel (Sushumna Nadi). In some ways it
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> might be said that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the goal of meditation when it come to the workings of the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Chakra system, is
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to achieve a balanced blending of the right and left energy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> channels into
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the central channel, achieving a synthesis greater then the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> sum of the two
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> sides, because the central channel has no power of its own,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> only that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> supplied from the two sides. But when the two sides unify
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> into the center,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that is when transcendence happens.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I expect the bicameral structure of the brain might be also
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> mapped to this ancient system.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.freemeditationnz.com/our-three-energy-channels.html
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> David Morris
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Monday, January 25, 2016, Ian Livingston
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <igrlivingston at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> My neuropsych profs were eager to caution that we have now
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reached such a deep understanding of the brain and its
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> functions that we can
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> at last say with confidence that we know almost nothing
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> about it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 8:47 AM, Joseph Tracy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes I read those reviews. What I am finding so far is that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> book is very careful to build its picture of how the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hemispheres work from
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> data. Every step of the way, he draws on research and is
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> very careful so far
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> not to overreach and to include differing takes on that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> data. One of the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> things he points out is that brain science is with current
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> technology and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> perhaps will always be a matter of intelligent
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> interpretation since it deals
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> with qualities and actions for which quantification makes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> little sense, like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> empathy, unjustified self confidence, manual grasping
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> behaviors etc. Also it
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is almost impossible to really track the mechanisms
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> involved( if they really
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> are of a mechanistic nature) because they take place in a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> living organism.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So brain scans give correspondences between activities and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> brain metabolism
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> but not clearly detailed causal relationships. Also many
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> mental processes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> draw on both sides of the brain which he frequently reminds
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the reader.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stlll, I think any reader will be surprised and amazed at
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wealth and specificity of the data and how much can be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> meaningfully and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> confidently understood about the hemispheric differences. I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> know I am.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It is true that he is trying to say something
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> philosophically
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> profound and that is always dangerous terrain, though I have
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> not gotten to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the heart of that part of the text. The question is whether
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> there is enough
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> data to support it. So far the data base is so rich that the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> book cannot
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> fail to leave a powerful imprint and sense of enriched
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> understanding for me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Jan 25, 2016, at 10:22 AM, Paul Mackin
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <mackin.paul at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> One of a number of favorable reviews, this one glowing.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> However a couple of reviewers according to Wikipedia
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cautioned against
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> culture and psychology conclusions getting too far ahead
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of hard brain
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> science.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> http://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/02/1
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Mon, Jan 25, 2016 at 6:39 AM, Mark Kohut
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <mark.kohut at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "You're gonna want your cause and effect, eh?"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Since his first book is entitled Against Criticism, I hope
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> he
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> isn't IN GR--
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> but I'll mic drop in advance. ......
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Just a little metajoke there, heh, heh.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Sun, Jan 24, 2016 at 8:10 PM, Joseph Tracy
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> <brook7 at sover.net> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I am currently reading Iain McGilchrist’s The Master and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> his
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Emissary
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> One of the most scientifically, psychologically and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> philosophically profound books I have ever read. It really
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> has me reeling
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> with information and insight and makes sense of so much
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that seems
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> inscrutable in human history and personal behavior. I came
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> across the title
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and a description with a brief quote while doing research
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> on another book.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It seemed the more intriguing book so I got it from the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> library. Will be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> looking for a used copy.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The topic is the roles of the 2 hemispheres of the brain
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> he brings together an unexpected wealth of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> medical/scientific research, both
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> contemprary and historic to build a very powerful picture
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of the nature of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> each hemisphere, as well as the evolutionary logic of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> their differentiation.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Both from the introduction and from some peeks ahead I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> know he has a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> philosophic intention that argues for a greater balance in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> our cultural
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> biases, and greater awareness of the brain-structure
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> origins of those
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> biases.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> From a Pynchon reader POV McGilchrist takes on the brain
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> structure basis of major themes and historic tendencies
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that appear
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> throughout the body of P’s work. Essentially it is about
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the division in the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> brain between left hemisphere’s tendency to seek and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> produce control
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> achieved through manipulable units of thought,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> communication, structure,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> manufacture and the right brain’s holistic,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> individualistic and socially
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> empathic style. ( there is no way to adequadetly summarize
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> this or the pages
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of precise information derived from scientific research).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> This struggle
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> appers in all P books and with profound starkness in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon’s essay on CP
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Snow, and the GR theme of mechanistic control vs
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> nature/pursuit of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bliss/personal freedom, humane solidarity.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The writer’s background for this book is about as good as
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> possible. Professional Psychiatrist specializing in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> physiological brain
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> issues, a researcher in neuro-imaging and an Oxford
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> English teacher 3 times
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> elected Fellow at All Souls College. Of equal or greater
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> importance is the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> originality of his brilliance and the humane depth of his
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> quest to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> understand how our brain structure fits into our historic
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> development, and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> his sense that understanding these things might free us to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> find a better way
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> forward.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Has anyone else read it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 462 pgs of text and over 100 of end notes etc.-
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>>>>> - Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?list=pynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>> -
>>>>>>>>>> Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> - Pynchon-l / http://www.waste.org/mail/?listpynchon-l
>> -
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