The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

[clif9710]

Perhaps it's germane to the topic that I cannot grasp this lecture when it is presented in the RSA Animate way...too dense, too distracting, too tightly edited and rapid. When Machiavelli is mentioned, I know the connotation intended, to have a tiny picture of Machiavelli drawn for me at the same time is irrelevant. This pertains to the lecture point about the utility of a map when one doesn't need/want to know all information about the area. To come watch the original lecture was a relief.

[clovis86]

@clif9710 I felt the same way, this one did not translate well to the animation as some of the others have.

[deteodoru]

The brain evolved in VERTICAL axis and CNS operates as lateral interaction from spinal to midbrain, to diencephalon, to basal forebrain before ever getting to cortex. Evolution of CNS is VERTICAL with more polysynaptic input/output circuits above inhibiting and capturing lower ones. But there's influence from below too. We're nowhere where we can hypothesize what this man sais. Brain computer is way above us. Alas, psychiatrists always simplify preoccupations of neurologists & neurobiologists!

[asana1973]

The end point was very timely..as groups like many of the Tibetan Buddhists or civil rights leaders for example "age out." How do we have "progress as intended" without compromising the integrity of that same development itself? Will the real meaning become extracted or just fizzle out all together as more people "get on board?" Will the next generation do with the teachings as the original folks had in mind. Whose hands will it fall into. Heavy considerations & prospects for human life yet.

[adda241]

The Einstein quote at the end is awesome.

[lilacfunish]

Sorry, without empirical evidence a scientific analysis remain an opinion. And this talk lacks the mass of scientists behind this theory. But a nice talk and rationalization thought.

He starts by dismissing an old theory to a new theory. This new theory is interesting but where are the evidence from brain science?

The left right shape is a datapoint that proven, how is bigger front right hemi contribute to this theory? Is it because there is larger PFC? What about bigger left back hemi. Is it

[wblakesx]

the urge to the security of certainty...

[islandbuoy4]

too bad the experts do not share notes???

Maybe the shrink Iain McGilchrist should give the research scientist Dr. Michael Persinger a call, to help expand his mind even more?

Dr. MP has suggested using certain brain waves, we can potentially link the world in 10 minutes using the Electro-Magnetic fIELd of the earth?

too bad the experts are immune to each others charms?

we had archeologists and astronomers how long? and finally we have archeo-astronomy in the 1970s becoming popular?

[swaggaking35]

@islandbuoy4 Please learn how to use the period.

[islandbuoy4]

@swaggaking35

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech in the form of a question posed for its persuasive effect without the expectation of a reply.[1] Rhetorical questions encourage the listener to think about what the (often obvious) answer to the question must be. When a speaker states, "How much longer must our people endure this injustice?", no formal answer is expected PERIOD?

[swaggaking35]

@islandbuoy4 sorry.

[Donatellangelo]

Does the right brain pay attention to context?

[FAZman23]

@drizztmay Animation comes out on the 21st of October... They put up a preview today. =)

[Mumbundu]

watch?v=JX44FYZntCA

[szutkowski]

Makes me think of Hegel's philosophy, in specific the master-slave dialectic.

[davidrojaselbirt]

@drizztmay well, maybe the short version. He is a little less entertaining than most animated talks.

[davidrojaselbirt]

please!

[Dekationz]

so glad he spoke about the different hemispheres of the brains working together

[actgif68]

how can he breathe with his glasses on nostrils like that?!

good video thanks

[InuitAldebaran]

I spent years in finding answers to Why-questions before i realised what everyone who has children could have told me: There is ALWAYS the next Why-question...

So then i spent years in finding answers to How-questions. I took a while, and more complicated questions until i realised i got some answers to early unsolved Why-questions!!!

And now, i'd say BOTH of my brains don't know what question to ask about that fact!!

Anyway i'll have my Atlas-bone readjusted soon - we'll see.

Thanks for upload!

[drgdrf]

He starts talking on point at 3:58

[XArcane]

Excellent talk. I agree this should be animated, and Dr McGilchrist should be re-invited because this is one of the best RSA lectures I've ever seen. Perhaps the one fault is that he has spent so much time going in-depth (which to him was probably just skimming the surface) that there was not enough time for specifics on how it has impacted society.

[JobLeonard]

@XArcane I've read the book, and yes, he was just skimming the surface. The most information-dense book I've ever read, and enjoyed reading, for that matter. I highly recommend it!

[betaalpharc1]

AM

[thebp9999]

I wonder if it's ok to ask if you know why the brain is physically twisted.

[akm97]

@thebp9999 if you read the book you may find out why

[DPcostaacosta]

Both the video and the comments are ver interesting. Thanks guys!

[MarkoKraguljac]

We could skip a few royal economists and politicians and allow Mr McGilchrist a few sessions to elaborate further on this very interesting topic?

[youniverse9]

I feel that modern world is finding less and less use (and respect) for creativity, and how modern media entertainment is dumbing people down.

Consequently, it seems to me that people are becoming more and more robotic; unthinking, unquestioning, unable to see the bigger picture

[youniverse9]

@youniverse9 Probably not a coincidence that left-handed people are in the minority, then!

[DoRayMeFa]

Excellent talk...

Biological facets seem to have been well explored in the past, but the characteristics of the hemispheres on societal development are new to me and very thought provoking.

.

Only distantly related but:

I read an article that showed how the different emotional dispositions of individuals determine their political affiliations: fearful dispositions for conservative politics, and adventurous enterprising dispositions for liberal politics. Not too hemisphere-related, sorry!

[kaisen2464]

@DoRayMeFa ~ actually it is, there is some correlation to thinking and feeling in personalities, conservatives are more rational and liberals more feeling. The problem is that we swing from one to the other instead of uncovering a shared purpose, & utilising both sides/ sets of skills to overcome challenges. This is why politics does not solve anything, because it is only coming at it from a one sided perspective. When one party fails, we vote in the other, only to see them fail also. Think USA!

[elbowtido27]

@kaisen2464 I really can't see how most conservatives could be considered "rational" lol

[DPcostaacosta]

@kaisen2464 This political topic related to the way of thinking is something that has being in my mind lately - most of It because my country passed trough elections recently. I completely agreed with you about that - as Mr. McGilchrist said: we are living in a time of antagonisms. It's not only in the USA, It happens in the most parts of world.

I do think that anything that is extreme is bad and that the answer must come from a certain equilibrium, rather is in a political contest or not.

[spankthamunkey]

@kaisen2464 The divide of sides between conservative or liberal is a mere illusion. Thats your left brain trying to only see symbolic representation of political conflict. The right brain knows (with depth) that they're all part of the same team, backed by the same economic forces.

[Pianofy]

This is very interesting indeed. I will have a look at the book.

More people should watch this video!

[ah05075]

nice

[Basaltq]

I was just looking information about the left and right brain and then RSA happens to publish this lecture. Interesting topic and it would be even more interesting to see this train of thought applied to many other things. One could examine different political ideologies and see which side of thinking governs in each one.

[krustyegg]

fascinating im gonna have to get that book now.

[scoitland14]

i wish he did talk about the symmetry of the hemispheres