The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World - Couverture souple

McGilchrist, Iain

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0300188374 ISBN 13 : 9780300188370

Editeur : Yale University Press, 2012

Synopsis

Now available in a larger format, a fascinating exploration of the differences between the brain's right and left hemispheres and their effects on society, history and culture. 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.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

Iain McGilchrist is a former Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Director at the Bethlem Royal & Maudsley Hospital, London, and has researched in neuroimaging at Johns Hopkins University Hospital, Baltimore. He taught English at Oxford University, where he has been three times elected a Fellow of All Souls College. He works privately in London and otherwise lives on the Isle of Skye.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Yale University Press
• Date d'édition: 2012
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0300188374
• ISBN 13: 9780300188370
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 544
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible
• Personne responsable: non disponible