284 | Doris Tsao on How the Brain Turns Vision Into the World
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
*Human Brain Plasticity and Visual Recognition of Faces and Letters *
The human brain exhibits remarkable plasticity, particularly in the visual system, where specific areas are dedicated to recognizing faces and letters. The face recognition area is located in the right hemisphere and has an analogous section in the left hemisphere that is responsible for recognizing letters. This suggests that parts of the brain can adapt based on cultural development, such as the introduction of letters. In illiterate individuals, the brain's face recognition areas remain bilateral, reflecting the earlier function of these regions as primarily focused on face recognition. With the advent of literacy, the brain repurposes existing structures for new functions, illustrating its capacity to reorganize and adapt to cultural needs over time.
