Why is the brain divided? The difference between right and left hemispheres has been puzzled over for centuries. In a book of unprecedented scope, Iain McGilchrist draws on a vast body of recent brain research, illustrated with case histories, to reveal that the difference is profound - not just this or that function, but two whole, coherent, but incompatible ways of experiencing the world. The left hemisphere is detail-oriented, prefers mechanisms to living things, and is inclined to self-interest, where the right ...
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Why is the brain divided? The difference between right and left hemispheres has been puzzled over for centuries. In a book of unprecedented scope, Iain McGilchrist draws on a vast body of recent brain research, illustrated with case histories, to reveal that the difference is profound - not just this or that function, but two whole, coherent, but incompatible ways of experiencing the world. The left hemisphere is detail-oriented, prefers mechanisms to living things, and is inclined to self-interest, where the right hemisphere has greater breadth, flexibility and generosity. This division helps explain the origins of music and language, and casts new light on the history of philosophy, as well as on some mental illnesses. In the second part of the book, he takes the reader on a journey through the history of Western culture, illustrating the tension between these two worlds as revealed in the thought and belief of thinkers and artists, from Aeschylus to Magritte. He argues that, despite its inferior grasp of reality, the left hemisphere is increasingly taking precedence in the modern world, with potentially disastrous consequences. This is truly a tour de force that should excite interest in a wide readership.
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Add this copy of The Master and His Emissary: the Divided Brain and the to cart. $90.97, fair condition, Sold by Bookmans rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Tucson, AZ, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Yale University Press.
Add this copy of The Master and His Emissary: the Divided Brain and the to cart. $238.38, good condition, Sold by 84 Charing Cross Road Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Cambridge, CAMBS, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2009 by Yale University Press.
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Seller's Description:
Good Condition in Good jacket. 9780300148787. Classical History / Classical Civilisation. VG/Good+ 3rd impression 1st ed 2009 Yale hardback, unclipped DJ. A little corner bumping and 3cm tear to top front edge of jacket, bright and unmarked throughout. Size: 6.25 x 2 x 9.25 inches. 608 pages. Quantity Available: 1. Shipped Weight: 1-2 kilos. Category: Psychology & Psychiatry; Classical History / Classical Civilisation; ISBN: 030014878X. ISBN/EAN: 9780300148787. Dewey Code: 612.825. The photos provided are of our own book, further photos may be arranged upon request. Inventory No: 089160.
McGilchrist's book changes everything. Based on the last 20 years of brain research, plus a fascinating historical analysis that looks at centuries of humanity's progression in the arts and sciences, the author has demonstrated how Western cultural is increasingly formed by brain function most identified with the left hemisphere, such as bureaucracy and ever-more-reductionist approaches to research. As a result, the values identified with the right hemisphere, such as empathy for those not-like-us and the capacity to see the Big Picture, are increasingly discounted. He persuasively demonstrates how this imbalance imperils humanity's future. For those who want to cut to the chase, read the last chapter first--what the world looks like to the Left Hemisphere. It may give you nightmares.
