Bijou Drains
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I don’t think it is fair to describe MacLean’s triune brain model as “bunk” and although Sagan’s promotion of the theory did lead to a rise in it’s popularity, it is also inaccurate to say that MacLean’s Triune hypothesis was at the time “well outside the mainstream of scientific theory” then or even to an extent now.
I would also question the veracity of both the author who wrote the article linked , he is a journalist who is “qualified in biology and zoology” (have a look at some of his other articles to get a feel of the quality of his writings) and Joseph Pitt who is a Philosopher of Science and Technology and not really commenting on his field of work.
A more nuanced response is the Yale Obit (linked to the article) that states,
“His death represents the passing of an era, because he was really the model of the move towards understanding the brain in evolutionary terms,” ……. “A lot of our contemporary advances ride on top of his work, even though in hindsight it was misleading. That happens a lot in the sciences, and we don’t often give credit to the false starts that really push us along the way.”
MacLean’s work has continued to be influential and although it is inaccurate, as it doesn’t explain the interactions between sections of the brain and although the “hat on top of hat” model has been surpassed, it has been part of the general development of an evolutionary model which helps to understand the way in which the different functions of the brain have evolved.
A description of the way in which the Triune Brain model has been adapted and developed is available in the link below.
What I find interesting in this article is the section which lays out the plasticity of the brain:
“we propose replacing “triune brain” with a term that better captures current understanding of brain function: the adaptive brain. In this conceptualization, the term adaptive brain emphasizes the interdependence and plasticity of brain regions and the brain’s ability to predict and adapt to future needs and conditions.”
and also what it states about cooperation:
“Three key adaptations that have developed over human evolution to improve prediction and response are quick emotional responses, slower cognitive responses, and seeking others’ help to cooperatively respond to the stressor”
As part of the argument that Socialism is against human nature, I have always argued that actually it is not and that it fits in easily with a vital part of human nature.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.802606/full
A few years ago I did an Open University course on Physics and on one of the summer schools we had a lecture from a scientist who had been part of a Nobel Prize winning team. She talked about fundamental particles, light, time and space, quantum mechanics, etc. I kind of understood some parts of what she was talking about, but that only lasted about 5 minutes and by the time I got out of the lecture room I had lost the thread.
However I remember that she did talk about the possibility that there might be something that is a constituent of a quark, although most scientists are sceptical about this and think that a quark is indivisible.
She said that her guess would be that actually matter did not actually exist and that all of it was possible to go back further into the formation of matter it would end at just energy. She did give some reasoning for that, but it was a bit like an acid trip, so along with the rest of us I nodded sagely and rubbed my chin inscrutably.
“Following Dietzgen, he’s talking about how in order to make sense of the world and operate within it, we chop up the observable world of phenomena and abstract it into different categories and concepts in our minds. What he said about atoms could be said about anything else.”
Ah, I see, I should have read the rest of the sentence. Piaget expressed a similar concept when he talked about the development of mental structures as children develop “These structures of mental operations are applied on representations of objects rather than on the objects themselves. Language, mental images, and numerical notation are examples of representations standing for objects and thus they become the object of mental operations.”
Good to hear you are with us Oh Great Feathered One. Hope the world (or perhaps I should say your perception of the world) is treating you well.
I think that what Pannekoek was trying to say was that atoms at that point were theoretical non observal concepts inferred from observal phenomenon. Atoms can now be observed.
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1652-seeing-atomsMatter is not all that exists, Dark Matter is likely to exist and antimatter also exist.
The space also matters. The space has an impact on the appearance and behaviour of the substance, for example H2O might be steam, water or ice. The molecules are the same what is different is the space between them in the three different states.
It’s a bit like music, the notes are important but sometimes it’s the gaps that are more important.
If you listen to one of Eddie Van Halen’s dreadful and busy guitar solos it is full of notes but not (in my opinion) very interesting, and then compare it with a guitar solo by Paul Kossoff, much slower but full of emotion and beauty, it (to my mind) shows that it is not the notes he plays, but rather the notes that he doesn’t play that are important.
Lizzie, I would be very grateful if you could let me have a copy of that pamphlet.
Pieter’s work was wonderful, he was a very talented writer, and an even better speaker. When I was a youngster (too many years ago, sadly) he was very kind (as was Phylis) to me, whilst also being a informative on me. Given the professional work I have been involved in I continue to be very much drawn to his thoughts and his writings.
Having thought through the technical issues involved in getting a copy to me, and thinking about all of the apps, electronic formats, messages, that might be involved whilst also taking into issues such as data breaches, GDPR, etc. I came up with an idea that fits in to Pieter’s view (things don’t really need to change that much and we don’t need to become too over complicated). So if you would be kind enough to photocopy it for me and then post it on to Head office, with the title to be forwarded on to “Bijou Drains”, I’m pretty sure they’s know who I am and forward it on to me.
If you could do that, I’d be grateful. If it was too much chew for you, I would also understand.
t’was in the summer of two thousand and twenty three
No poetry please did Chelmsford plea!
“I agree with that sentiment” our contributer ALB demanded!
especially not in the pages of the Socialist Standard.The consensus did in everyone’s heart form
no more contributions from this particular art form.
So it was resolved to banish poetry from the forum.
Publishing poetry on this site would in future is a breach of decorumI read a reviewer giving a transatlantic New York to Southampton cruise 1 star because the brochure had not stated that there would be no stops on the way!
Not a holiday review, but I also read a review of a 26 litre industrial deep fat frier which was given 1 star because “it is far to big for my small bedsit”
Lizzie45, at times you can be very cynical, pedantic, provocative and argumentative, are you absolutely sure you are not a member of the SPGB?
Yup, quite sure, Marra! 🙂
Well you certainly meet the person spec
If Malcolm had only changed the word negro to worker in the second clip, he would have been completely on the money.
P.S Lizzie45, at times you can be very cynical, pedantic, provocative and argumentative, are you absolutely sure you are not a member of the SPGB? 🙂
It’s a bit sad that this particular thread is being derailed by a cruel comment.
Although I only knew Alan on line or through emails, etc. it was clear that Alan was a very kind and personable bloke.
Anyway, Paula, Alan posted this version of the song a few years ago and he said he found it demonstrated the emotional impact of mass singing, I agree.
Wonder why the media continues to describe both the Reclaim Party, Reform Party and UKIP as populist parties, given that Reclaim got 2.3% and UKIP got 0.2% at Uxbridge, Reform got 3.7% in Selby and Reform got 3.4% and UKIP got 0.7% in Somerton and Frome. Doesn’t seem to me that they’re that popular.
Maybe we should describe ourselves as a Populist Socialist Party????
There is a huge irony that Nigel Meringue has claimed that his “politics” are the source of discrimination.
He has campaigned loudly against the ECHR and the Equality Act and argued that employers should be make the decisions that businesses make should be based on their own individual judgements.
Suddenly because the owners of Coutts decide that he’s a first class bell end and having him as a customer has an impact on them, it’s not fair and against his rights.
He’s always reminded me of the kind of big mouthed arseholes that spend most of their lives standing on the end of golf club bars, telling anyone who cares to listen that “the solution’s simple, blah, blah, blah”
What a twat
The Labour Mayor in question (Jamie Driscoll) spoke at the Jarrow Rebel Town rally held a couple of weeks ago.
He made a well received speech covering “revolutionary” demands such as an integrated transport system with a cross area ticketing system, renationalising the rail system, attracting more jobs to the North East, etc. I think the kings of Capital were quaking in their collective boots.
It seems that even this small beer “sewer Socialism” needs to be stamped out in the Starmerist system, for fear the readers of the Daily Mail kick up a fuss.
Even for the Labour Party Starmer marks a low water mark.
Ironically I was having a chat with an ex Militant member later on that day. I reminded him that he told me (following the Militant Party line at the time) that when Roy Hattersley won the Labour Deputy Leader’s race against Benn, this would be the last time the right wing of Labour won an election ever again, citing the usual “collapse of capitalism” “a revolutionary turn” “the awakening of the Working Class” “the strength of the Militant throughout the country” and the rest of the usual bollocks.
His response was that “at least we were doing something practical”
The working class must be overjoyed.
