The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

Renowned psychiatrist and writer Iain McGilchrist explains how the 'divided brain' has profoundly altered human behaviour, culture and society.

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Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Iain McGilchrist
• the divided brain
• brain
• science
• human behaviour
• society
• culture
• psychiatrist
• the rsa
• rsa
• royal society of arts
• left brain
• right brain

[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?

[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

[swaggaking35]

@islandbuoy4 sorry.

[wblakesx]

the urge to the security of certainty...

[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?