Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Better Than TED Talks? RSAnimate & The Divided Brain

Two topics here:

1. Is RSAnimate better than TED talks? Of course, it's not a contest, but this type of presentation I find very lively & engaging. The visual (a skill that I deeply admire, probably because of my lack of talent) really adds to the presentation without dumbing down the presentation.

2. Brain & neuroscience research is a fascinating topic & one that continues to grow and give us insight. The idea--a flawed one I believe--that divides Reason & Passion goes back at least to Plato in the West, with a big boost from Descartes along the way. But while it has some metaphorical value, taken too literally it's false. This view, better than the old Left Brain-Right Brain exact division of function, gives us a new view of ourselves that should prove very useful and practical. Dr. Iain McGilchrist does an excellent job here of providing a succinct talk that outlines his thought while accompanied by a delightfully entertaining and enlightening whiteboard drawing done while he's speaking (or so it appears). 

Found courtesy of a Jonathan Haidt Tweet.