Brain Function Quotes

“A new mind, equals a new life.”
― Lalah Delia

“On the other hand, mere critical thinking, without creative and intuitive insights, without the search for new patterns, is sterile and doomed. To solve complex problems in changing circumstances requires the activity of both cerebral hemispheres: the path to the future lies through the corpus callosum.”
― Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

“In a way, science might be described as paranoid thinking applied to Nature: we are looking for natural conspiracies, for connections among apparently disparate data. Our objective is to abstract patterns from Nature (right-hemisphere thinking), but many proposed patterns do not in fact correspond to the
data. Thus all proposed patterns must be subjected to the sieve of critical analysis (left-hemisphere thinking).”
― Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

“Some evidence suggests the left-handers are more likely to have problems with such left-hemisphere functions as reading, writing, speaking and arithmetic; and to be more adept at such right -hemisphere functions as imagination, pattern recognition and general creativity.”
― Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

“The left hemisphere seems to feel quite defensive-in a strange way insecure-about the right hemisphere; and, if this is so, verbal criticism of intuitive thinking becomes suspect on the ground of motive. Unfortunately, there is every reason to think that the right hemisphere has comparable misgivings -expressed nonverbally, of course- about the left.”
― Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

“There is no doubt that right-hemisphere intuitive thinking may perceive patterns and connections too difficult for the left hemisphere; but it may also detect patterns where none exist. Skeptical and
critical thinking is not a hallmark of the right hemisphere. And unalloyed right-hemisphere doctrines, particularly when they are invented during new and trying circumstances, may be erroneous or paranoid.”
― Carl Sagan, The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

“Major scientific insights are characteristically intuitive, and equally characteristically described in scientific papers by linear analytical arguments. There is no anomaly in this: it is, rather, just as it should be. The creative act has major right-hemisphere components. But arguments on the
validity of the result are largely left-hemisphere functions.”
― Carl Sagan

“The part of the brain that isn't automatic is an imagining machine, feeling all possibilities of feelings: it keeps pushing its way into this marshy, pleasant terrain. You struggle against that push, and start to feel your stomach protest. It's not so much even a type of seriousness as it is a circumstance, into which you pass by slow degrees. I've never seen this sufficiently examined. It mutates into a less-unreal reality that still seems different, somehow, than being fully present. Self hate is rarely unconditional.”
― Darin Strauss, Half a Life

“Like any other part of the human body, activity makes the brain healthy.”
― Abhijit Naskar, All For Acceptance

“Years of practice in mathematics hardwires a person's brain for subconscious solving of mathematical problems - this is how Srinivasa Ramanujan came up with most of his discoveries in mathematics. Years of practice in the study of human behavior hardwires a person's brain for the subconscious solving of the puzzle of human nature - this is how I come up with many of my insights on human cognition and behavior. There is no magic or supernatural intervention involved here. It’s just that, when you foster a forte in a specific activity, your brain keeps working on it, beneath the surface of your conscious awareness, even if you are consciously engaged in other activities or even if you are asleep.”
― Abhijit Naskar, All For Acceptance

“With the advent of technology, many people have forgone the magic that comes when using a pen to put thoughts to paper...handwriting activates multiple areas of the brain in ways that typing does not.”
― Maria Brito, How Creativity Rules the World: The Art and Business of Turning Your Ideas into Gold