In the first part of the class we will analyze the different specializations that the left and right hemispheres of our brains evolved with, and we will discuss particularly several issues related to language and human intelligence. Some scientists have argued that language is what sets humans apart from all other animals. Other researchers wonder if humans are really the only species with language. At the end of this handouts, you will find a series of web links that point to online documentation of these facts. However, human language is more than just communication.
Humans use symbols to express the meaning they intend.
If you are interested in this subject, take a trip to the Washington DC National Zoo. Patients with speech problems gave early researchers the first clues about how the brain is involved with language. The ancient Greeks noticed that brain damage could cause aphasia. Two major regions of the brain that, when damaged, cause aphasia are located in the left hemispheres, and are named after their discoverers, Broca and Wernicke. The language problems associated with damage to Broca's and Wernicke's area are quite different from one another.