Summary of Iain McGilchrist, 'We Need to Act'

00:00:00 - 00:40:00

Iain McGilchrist discusses in this video the importance of the humanities and argues that we need to value these subjects more highly in order to restore a sense of purpose and meaning in contemporary society.

• 00:00:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the dangers of society moving towards undesirable ends, and the need for a grown-up conversation about these issues. He argues that free speech is an important part of this conversation, and that we need to be careful not to allow tyranny to take hold.
• 00:05:00 Iain McGilchrist argues that the world is made up of fragments of matter that are disconnected and static until given a push by humans. The right hemisphere, which sees that everything is connected, is more fulfilling than the left hemisphere, which seeks power and restricts freedom. McGilchrist argues that both science and reason have proper limits and are valuable tools for gauging the truth. If science and reason are discarded, everything is up for grabs, and the people who shout the loudest and are the most insistent about limiting others' freedom are enemies of civilization.
• 00:10:00 Iain McGilchrist argues in this video that the current state of science and reason is not as healthy as it once was, and that the divide between science and intuition, imagination, and reason is not as clear as people think. He argues that this divide is due to the way we work, and that it is a problem because it prevents us from seeing what is happening around us. McGilchrist suggests that we should take into account both science and intuition when making decisions, and that trusting our intuition is often a mistake but can sometimes lead to great things.
• 00:15:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the damaging consequences of our increasing focus on technology and social media, and how this has led to a loss of spontaneity, a decrease in empathy, and an increased sense of loneliness. He argues that the way to achieve happiness is to embrace a sense of humility and to reduce our reliance on technology.
• 00:20:00 Iain McGilchrist argues that schizophrenia is an exaggeration of the left hemisphere's world and a diminution of the contribution made by the right hemisphere. He also says that schizophrenia takes up an awful lot of people's time and attention, and that instead of consolidating their attention, it fragmentates it. McGilchrist argues that progress can be made by understanding how we are enmeshed with others and how life flows, rather than by cutting off the strain of life.
• 00:25:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the idea that humans need to wake up and see where they are in the world, and how technology can imperil what is important to life - things like emotion, spirituality, and connection to the past and future. He provides a case study of how a psychiatrist might incorrectly diagnose a patient's issues, and how they would be better served by working with a therapist who is aware of the need for change.
• 00:30:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the differences between left and right hemisphere thinking in relation to various aspects of life. He argues that the left hemisphere is often mistaken and impulsive, whereas the right hemisphere is more reliable and rational.
• 00:35:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the idea that the right hemisphere and the more deliberative one the left house the answer is completely the other way around. In fact, he believes what he's doing is not talking about the two different hemispheres but talking more about the upper parts of the brain. In contrast, the if you like the inferior parts of the brain that were evolved more primitive earlier earlier on in evolution so anyway it doesn't really matter but but i just mention it because it's significant that people misunderstand this. When people are immutable in their attachment to an idea, angry and self-righteous about it, and disparage and are disgusted by anybody who could disagree with them, this is alarm bells for neuroscientist and psychiatrist. It's the mindset of the Puritans and i have no desire to emulate puritanism or the similar phenomenon which has occurred also in the history of islam.
• 00:40:00 Iain McGilchrist discusses the importance of the humanities in education, arguing that they are essential for a life well-lived. He suggests that we need to value these subjects more highly in order to restore a sense of purpose and meaning in contemporary society.