you know when you re-read something you wrote a long time ago- how Stupid you sound to yourself, LOL yeah...But this paper makes me Laugh, --side Note--I LOVE Random Facts.. I kinda am a walking newspaper in some ways.
Joyce Barrett
Psych
9-12-02
Review: Website on Phrenology
Upon searching the Internet for a website on phrenology, I found a web page that can be located at http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/fnart/phrenology/. This web page was helpful to me, because it explained phrenology and the process to examining a person’s mind with the help of pictures. I liked this website more than the others I had looked at, because it not only provided other interesting links to phrenology, but it also gave several visual aids as well. In this web page, Samuel R. Wells had provided a picture of a head which mapped out where each phrenological organ on the head is easily located and what each means and represents. Wells gave a short description of what it means to have an excess bump or a deficiency on the head.
Phrenology is described as the study of the head or mind. The early phrenologist believed the process of examining the mind was “the only true study of the mind”. By examining the shapes and unevenness of a head, they believed that they could discover the development of the particular cerebral “organs” responsible for different intelligence and character traits. The web page names a few people of history and defines their personalities. I think it is way too easy to look at a man’s life (after the fact that he has lived it) and blame a few bumps on his head for the reasons why he had certain skills and did certain things in life.
After reading up on phrenology, I wanted to see for myself if I would use the process, find my bumps on my head, and see if they hold any meaning. Because I have a lot of thick hair, it was difficult to slide my fingertips over my head to find many bumps to examine. I decided to examine my father’s head rather than my own. Being that my father is already bald, it made it an easier task to locate more bumps on his head than it had been to locate any on mine. I am not a phrenologist, but with the help of the pictures, I did manage to use the information on the web page to explain various bumps on my father’s head. I found a few bumps and marked them down using Samuel Wells’ theory. After taking note of each bump, I went back to look at the long list of descriptions for them.
The results that I found were extremely funny according to what phrenologist’s would say they knew, and what I actually know about my father. Some of the bumps on my father’s head were correct, but as for the others, they were not in the least bit correct. For example, my father has worked as a carpenter for many years doing many jobs using several different tools to complete his tasks. He has gone from building a house to fixing a sink. I had found the largest bump on his head co insides surprisingly with Wells definition which means he has mechanical ingenuity, ability to invent, use of tools, and the ability to construct. On the other hand, I found another bump that indicated that he had the ability to distinguish colors, shades, and tints in objects. Also, it said that he likes to dress in a variety of colors. This was far from the truth as it could get. My father is colorblind, and he can only tell the difference between shades if one color is light blue and the other is navy blue. Many times, he has picked pink socks to wear thinking they were white. Another thing is that my father has been rarely seen wearing anything but blue, so the statement that said he likes a variety is false also.
With the thought that phrenology could have been the only true way to study the brain, how do you know what bumps are, by nature, truly original? For example, I have a bump on my forehead in a place which, according to Wells, means I have a good memory of events, love of history, and facts. It explained that I am a kind of walking newspaper for people. The truth about the bump on my forehead is that I was hit in the head by a horse as a young child. The horse tried to jump over me and busted my head with his shoe. As a result, of this accident, I have a bump in an area which would lead a phrenologist to believe I have a good memory and a love for history. This would be completely wrong. In fact, I hate history. I hate having to remember dates and facts, because I have a horrible time with that process.
I am sure that I am not the only person who has a bump on there head from some accident in life. With this in mind, how can someone even believe phrenology to be completely accurate? Although this website was, to me, a little crazy but interesting, I can’t say I believe phrenology to be the best choice for studying the mind.
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