Comments on A wayfarer’s notes: Hole in the head

Marc, there is a way around that Blogger constrain...

2008-07-14T20:44:00.000+01:00

Marc, there is a way around that Blogger constraint. If you click on the time at the bottom at the bottom of the post, you will get a version of the post with all its comments on a full page, not a small box. When you follow a link in that full page you will be able to navigate to it still in a full page.

Having got the technical bit out of the way, good to see you here and I understand

Hey! Glad I asked you to write on Gage, which is s...

2008-07-14T19:12:00.000+01:00

Hey! Glad I asked you to write on Gage, which is such an opportunity to muse upon the human mind, though not usually so lyrically and insightfully as you do here. Thank you for the nudge to get over here, and I wished you hadn't been so patient.

Actually, you see, it has been difficult to find you: when I click on your name in the comments section, your 4 blogs come up, and tho I've

No, Ghetufool. With Amala and Kamala I suppose the...

2008-07-11T15:27:00.000+01:00

No, Ghetufool. With Amala and Kamala I suppose they had developed wolf-behaviour at the most formative years and could not adapt otherwise.

With Gage, the damage to parts of his brain didn't make him closer to his animal instinct. It made him unable to cope with ordinary life. I'd never advocate that humans become closer to animal instinct, but to recognize that too much emphasis on the

in the last post you described about amala and kam...

2008-07-11T14:43:00.000+01:00

in the last post you described about amala and kamala, or feral children. do they have emotion as we know the word? what if the same would have happened to one of those? would that make any difference to their lifestyle?

so, was gage close to his animal instinct which is i guess more welcomed.

Timjamz, yes, point well spotted. I no longer beli...

2008-07-11T05:48:00.000+01:00

Timjamz, yes, point well spotted. I no longer believe in a detachable soul that has an after-life, in the "believer's" sense. I just think that science - or shall I say in this case Damasio - gives us new and more potent or timely metaphors with which to ponder existence.

But no matter the metaphors used, there will always be bits of experience left over unexplained.

Gerry, indeed, I have never met such an English pe...

2008-07-11T05:44:00.000+01:00

Gerry, indeed, I have never met such an English person, self-respecting or otherwise. It was a flight of fancy, but thanks for the suggestion!

Hayden, I take your point about science versus inner promptings but I guess it's our nature to acquire beliefs and a measure of the maelstrom in the world today that beliefs are such a hot issue.

As for mis-spellings, these too are a

This is an interesting piece, and I think it captu...

2008-07-07T16:26:00.000+01:00

This is an interesting piece, and I think it captures the essence atheist vs. believer argument. On one hand, our physiological aspect does display evidence-based forms of adaption in emotion, reaction, etc. However, our experiential aspect dictates that the physiological aspect is not the complete human being as you've pointed out here.

Your conclusion may very well be the final one,

science is mechanics, struggling with the infinite...

2008-07-06T02:19:00.000+01:00

science is mechanics, struggling with the infinitely complex and changing. Holding too closely to the latest scientific announcement is no more than 'belief' as I see it. That said, I have no experience of angels and godly voices, and I've some of science, so am more inclined to throw in with the later.

I may regret commenting, but am fascinated by "yolk of tyranny." Makes me muse on

Why would any self respecting English person mourn...

2008-07-05T13:26:00.000+01:00

Why would any self respecting English person mourn the day one of their colonies broke away from the yolk of tyranny?

Really, you guys need a cold shower...

The above piece is dedicated with special thanks t...

2008-07-04T06:47:00.000+01:00

The above piece is dedicated with special thanks to Marc Lord who especially requested me to make the story of Phineas Gage into a post. It's my small contribution to July 4th, when Britain mourns the untimely loss of its best colony.