Hi Searle:
< For me, thinking has to be a balance between the left brain (reason, logic, truth, science, objectivity) and the right brain (feeling, emotion, intuition, art, imagination, subjectivity). >
Agreed. A very good point. I've read your war-related discussions for several weeks (your politeness is admirable!) and frequently get the impression that an individual's position is frequently related to their left brain/right brain preference. (Too frequent use of the term 'evil' a possible a tip-off?).
Pirsig spent a lot of time in the classic 'zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance' (now available in its entirety online at virtualschool.edu discussing how people tend to be dominated by one approach or the other (using the terms classic vs romantic reasoning). The interesting point he made (at least what I took from it) was that well developed, air-tight, left brain logic meant little or nothing to a person who approach to the world was dominated by right brain decision-making - and vice versa. So you better understand how your audience reasons before you try to convince them of anything - otherwise your wasting your time. Which seems to make sense with many 'non-debatable' topics such as abortion, religion, gun control, (and war?).
Trouble is we never know when we are using logic, truth and objectivity...and when we are rationalizing our feelings. Otherwise we would all be good stock pickers, eh?
'Let the mind be the servant of the heart, not its slave.' (Garrett Hardin)
John
ps. charley reese is great! |
