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Wednesday, June 17, 2009

CORPUS CALLOSUM


Gall, Franz Joseph (1758-1828), anatomist, physiologist and founder of phrenology.

Gall was one of the first to study the localization of mental functions in the brain. He believed that there was a relationship between the size and shape of the skull and mental faculties and character. He suggested that the brain was divided into 27 separate "organs". Each organ supposedly corresponded ot a distinct human faculty, though Gall identified 19 of these as being shared with other animal species. A lot of these beliefs have been tried and tested and found to be true.
The labels are interesting - Acquisitiveness, Love of the magnificent, union for life, veneration, love of home and one that most of us know is situated just behind the forehead, memory of events. I wonder where brain fog comes in?

Yesterday Willow asked if handwriting is a dying art and went on to explain Graphology, employed as a means of analysing character. It was her post that sent me searching for Phrenology and wondering if some aspects are still in use. Apparently, very much so.

I also wonder what my handwriting says about my character? On the other hand, I may wonder but do I really want to know?


Addendum: I was a little hasty in naming this post. I went away and thought about it. The Corpus Callosum is the white matter of the brain and I'm more interested in the gray matter. Perhaps I should have called it 'Gray's Anatomy'.

4 comments:

I_am_Tulsa said...

That is an amazing map of the brain...I hit my head in a car accident a long time ago, right about where "concentration" is... hehehe...
I love your handwriting! Did you use a calligraphy pen?

alaine@éclectique said...

A fountain pen; I use it for letter writing and cards.

I_am_Tulsa said...

✍Fabulous! It's a bit of a coincidence, I need to write invitations and a letter today... I yearn to be artistic but I think that part of my brain needs a little"help". lol

alaine@éclectique said...

Tulsa, I was looking at your other blog; you're a very busy lady.

Sorry but I was less than gracious when I replied to you very early this morning. I must make a note not to answer comments when I'm still half asleep!