(The outline of McGilchrist’s thesis is here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/07/introduction-to-the-master-and-his-emissary/) One of the ways McGilchrist is very helpful is that he exposes the lopsidedness of much atheistic philosophy and the new atheists. On page 170, he argues that the left and right hemispheres ways of thinking have different definitions of belief that mean many debates are people talking … Continue reading A corrective to reductionist religion and atheism →

(Continuing a series based on Dunbar’s book, “Friends”. You can find the basic thesis here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/ ) I really enjoyed this book- it is well written and full of interesting anecdotes and details. Four things that stand out to me as I reflect on the whole. 1) Friendship is a really good thing. It is something we … Continue reading Closing reflections on Dunbar’s “Friends” →

(The outline of McGilchrist’s thesis is here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/07/introduction-to-the-master-and-his-emissary/) In his book the Master and the Emissary, Iain McGilchrist sets out to show how the two separated hemispheres of the cortex process the world differently. The world of the left hemisphere, dependent on denotative language and abstraction, yields clarity and power to manipulate things that are known, … Continue reading How does hemisphere difference help us understand some problems in the modern world? →

(Continuing a series based on Dunbar’s book, “Friends”. You can find the basic thesis here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/ ) Dunbar’s insights into total friendship group size (150 total) and social fingerprint (a distinct pattern for slots for friends down the friendship scale) has implications evangelism and what we should expect from new converts. If we divide people into groups … Continue reading How friendship group size and health affects conversion →

(The outline of McGilchrist’s thesis is here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/07/introduction-to-the-master-and-his-emissary/) McGilchrist presents hundreds of studies to support his thesis of the divided brain. https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/18/dpes-mcgilchrist-provide-good-scientific-evidence-for-the-thesis-in-the-master-and-his-emissary/ But other scientists have raised questions and objections, especially on the discussion here: Full article: Engaging Iain McGilchrist: Ascetical practice, brain lateralization, and philosophy of mind (tandfonline.com) Bottom up or top down? A number … Continue reading Questioning the evidence →

(The outline of McGilchrist's thesis is here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/07/introduction-to-the-master-and-his-emissary/) McGilchrist has spent several decades reading the neuroscience literature, and he presents lots of studies to back up his thesis that the two hemispheres (half brains) process the world differently. I’m obviously not in a position to fully evaluate his scientific evidence. McGilchrist spends about 60 pages … Continue reading Does McGilchrist provide good scientific evidence for the thesis in The Master and his Emissary? →

I’ve been a church elder for 13 years, a staff elder (assistant and then lead) for 12 years. In that time there have been all sorts of criticisms. Some very specific feedback on particular aspects of how things are done or what I have. Some generalised to “Christianity” or “Evangelicalism”? There have been lots of … Continue reading Dealing with critical feedback of church and Christianity →

(Continuing a series based on Dunbar’s book, “Friends”. You can find the basic thesis here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/ ) Dunbar notes that here is a strong finding that friendship with non-family members falls away sharply when people move to live more than 30 minutes away. What distance this is depends on what form of transport you are using. If … Continue reading Distance and friendship →

One of the big books I read over the Sabbatical was Iain McGilChrist’s “The Master and his emissary”, along with an interdisciplinary academic discussion of his work and its implications for religion Religion, Brain & Behavior: Vol 9, No 4 (tandfonline.com) The subtitle of the book is “The Divided Brain and the Making of the … Continue reading Introduction to The Master and his Emissary →

(Continuing a series based on Dunbar’s book, “Friends”. You can find the basic thesis here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/09/18/introduction-to-friends-by-robin-dunbar/ ) Our age is one that proclaims the value of diversity, and yet people often end up with friends who share a lot in common with them. This is a general and well established human tendency. You become friends with people … Continue reading The importance of friends having something in common →