Coda: The ‘Front-Back’ problem
At the beginning of this chapter our attention was drawn to the asymmetry of the structure of the brain. This applies not only to the left-right, but also to the front-back, to the intrahemispheric as well as the interhemispheric.
Here McGilchrist once again highlights the importance of the frontal lobes, which inhibit the posterior part of the hemisphere, or rather modulate it. The right hemisphere does this more than the left hemisphere. By modulation McGilchrist means resists, but does not negate, or imposes a necessary distance. This delay allows something new to come forward.
Conclusion
This chapter has not and cannot cover all the research that has been conducted into brain function. The aim has been to highlight hemispheric differences and provide coherent evidence for these differences, with a particular emphasis on opposing prejudice against the right hemisphere.
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The left hemisphere is extremely important for manipulation of language and for serial analysis, but it is not the dominant hemisphere. The chapter focusses not so much on ‘what’ the hemispheres do, but on ‘in what way’ they do what they do and points to two ways of being in the world.
The essential difference between the hemispheres is that the right hemisphere pays attention to the ‘Other’, but both hemispheres take part in virtually all functions to some extent. The gifts of the left hemisphere are of staggering importance to our civilisation, but its contributions need to be made in the service of something else, that only the right hemisphere can bring.
Continue to: Chapter 3. Language, Truth and Music
Links
Link to: Chapter 2 Commentary
Link to: Image Credits
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