Saturday, May 19, 2012

Can a blow to the head change the brain in a good way?

Savants are not always born

I have no background in medicine, but it fascinates me as much as it does most people. This article is more interesting - and more baffling - than most. It cites examples of people who get hit on the head and then have talents they didn't have before.  Are we tapping into some kind of genetic memory (which shouldn't be possible), or what is happening here? The weirdest case concerns a pianist who handles complex pieces beautifully (there's a clip here) with no training.  Think how many years go into training that - keeping in mind it's not just knowledge, but physical skills, the ability of fingers to act in perfect coordination.
It makes no sense, really.  But some things don't, despite all our advances. 

2 comments:

omegaman66 said...

Saw David on "Ingenious Minds" and to me it seemed impossible. I was in wonder and still am. We have always been taught that the brain is capable of learning right. But it appears that some form of knowledge is already there... if we can unlock it.

I can understand how a genius is smarter than me and can learn faster than me but how do they get degrees from colleges at very young ages. I always wondered about that by saying to myself "It doesn't matter how smart you are you can't know stuff until you have been taught!"

I just wrote it off as they read are were taught all this stuff once outside of school. But if this articles theories are correct then maybe not. Maybe they were born (or some acquired) this embedded knowledge.

Naaa... that is crazy... right?

Matt Bille said...

A lovely mystery, the human being.... not just an ape with a cell phone.