Split mind musings

Duality of the mind 

Arthur Wigan's Book


The eminent geometricians who were employed on the trigonometrical survey of the country some years ago, did on one occasion lose their way, and were set right by a ploughman. 

NIH abstract on Athrur Wigan 

He was not satisfied with independence, however, and tried various ways of allowing for joint action by the two sides of the brain, as well as for substitution, with one side having the power to act on behalf of both in cases of disease or injury. He also considered that one hemisphere, usually the left, was generally dominant; but he did not see the two hemispheres as differently constituted. Recognition of differentiation of function between the two sides came chiefly out of the largely French discussions, in the 1820s and after, about the location--frontal or not--of 'language', and out of the work and arguments of the middle of the century. Broca's left frontal language centre became widely known, though its experimental base was weak and he himself seems to have been more interested in the fact that it was frontal (the older debate) than in its one-sidedness. Brown-Séquard did not accept Broca's findings because of his general opposition to specific locations for particular functions; but he enthusiastically revived Wigan's notions of duality, without developing them further.

I think I learned to be right handed in response to my environment mainly due to speech and communication. I feel I am playing with  left tongue that I did not know of until relatively recently. It exists as a separate entity along with left throat.  The general organization of my body is a reflection of the dominance of the right sided communication. When I relate to others by making eye contact I relate my right eye to their right eye. The left eye is out of the picture in a way. When I use my left eye to see their left eye a different person can almost emerge. My normal is left to right or the right eye has permission to cross midline and back to the right. My left eye can go to the right but it seems to stop short of going as far as it can almost  in a deference to the right eye. My left tongue has a great deal of difficulty in crossing the midline. I am wondering is the Broca area established at birth, learned, or both?