What is Truth?

This article, What is Truth? Part 12: An Exploration of The Matter With Things by Iain McGilchrist by Matt Dahlitz, delves into the differing perceptions of truth as understood by the brain's left and right hemispheres. McGilchrist's work suggests that the left hemisphere, which favors logic and precision, tends to see truth as a static, objective set of facts. In contrast, the right hemisphere views truth as a dynamic, relational process grounded in lived experience. The article argues that a balanced interplay between the two hemispheres is essential for a fuller, more accurate understanding of reality. It critiques the modern world’s tendency to prioritize the left hemisphere's reductive, representation-based truth, at the expense of the more holistic, embodied truth favored by the right hemisphere.

  • Understand the contrasting approaches to truth taken by the brain's left and right hemispheres.

  • Explore how the left hemisphere views truth as a static, objective concept, while the right hemisphere perceives it as dynamic and relational.

  • Recognize the importance of integrating both hemispheric perspectives to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of truth.

  • Analyze the implications of modern society's tendency to prioritize left-hemisphere thinking in the pursuit of truth.

  • Discuss the concept of "presencing" as a means of experiencing truth in a more embodied and holistic manner.

  • Reflect on how educational and bureaucratic systems may reinforce a narrow, left-hemisphere-dominated conception of truth.

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