13 Lateralization
13.1 Two hemispheres, two modes
Ian McGilchrist’work highlights1 the importance of using both hemispheres of the brain to understand the world around us.
It presents two contrasting approaches:
- reductionism and analysis (associated with the left hemisphere)
- and seeking the bigger picture (associated with the right hemisphere).
The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honours the servant and has forgotten thin the gift
– Albert Einstein
13.2 Three-step approach to reality
To gain a comprehensive understanding of the world, you can follow a three-step approach.2
13.2.1 Step 1: Seek the Big Picture
Begin by stepping back and seeking the broader context and interconnectedness of the subject.
Engage the right hemisphere of the brain, which embraces a holistic view. This perspective allows you to grasp the larger patterns, relationships, and underlying meanings that may not be immediately apparent.
13.2.2 Step 2: Focus and Analysis of the Pieces
After gaining an initial understanding of the big picture, shift your attention to the details and individual components.
Activate the left hemisphere, which excels in focused attention and analysis. Break down the subject into smaller pieces and examine them in depth. This step helps you grasp the intricate nuances and finer aspects of the topic.
13.2.3 Step 3: Take Back Control to the Right Hemisphere
Once you have analyzed the pieces, it is essential to shift back to the right hemisphere to complete your understanding.
Reconnect with the holistic view and integrate the details within the broader framework. Allow yourself to perceive the intrinsic value and deeper significance of the subject.
By doing so, you can gain a more profound and meaningful comprehension of the world.
By following these three step:
- seeking the big picture,
- focusing on the pieces,
- and returning to the holistic perspective
you can cultivate a balanced and comprehensive understanding of the world around you.
This approach harnesses the strengths of both hemispheres of the brain, enabling you to navigate complexity, uncover the richness of reality and gain a more profound and meaningful comprehension of the world.
13.3 Left mode reductionism
Our talent for division, for seeing the parts, is of staggering importance – second only to our capacity to transcend it, in order to see the whole.
– Iain McGilchrist
The left hemisphere tends to focus on narrow, analytical attention, breaking things down into smaller constituents. It sees value as something you invent and separate from the world, serving a utilitarian purpose. In contrast, the right hemisphere seeks a holistic view, perceiving value as intrinsic to the cosmos and fundamental to reality itself.
The reductionist view prevalent in the contemporary world diminishes the significance of beauty, goodness, and truth.
The consequences of this worldview are evident in our surroundings. The left hemisphere sees things as static and seeks to explain how motion arises, while the right hemisphere experiences everything as flowing and seeks to understand how stability emerges from this flow.
By exclusively relying on a reductionist approach, you limit our understanding of reality, leading to an impoverished and meaningless worldview.
So, brfeaking this balance to left mode you have prioritized mechanism over organism, forsaking nature and wisdom in favor of power.
13.4 Regain Reality
To regain a more comprehensive understanding of reality, you should achieve closeness to three features:
- nature,
- one another,
- and the divine.
It also highlights the right hemisphere’s ability to grasp implicit meaning, such as metaphors, jokes, irony, and humor, which are not explicitly stated.
Ian McGilchirst encourages you to embrace both hemispheres of our brain to comprehend the world in a more holistic and meaningful way.
By integrating reductionism and analysis with a broader perspective, you can foster a deeper connection with reality and enhance our understanding of ourselves and the world around you.