The art is long, life is short
HippocratesRead
The brain of man, like that of all animals is double, being parted down its centre by a thin membrane. For this reason pain is not always felt in the same part of the head, but sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, and occasionally all over.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the complexity of the human brain and how it can process pain differently across its hemispheres.
Hippocrates' observation about the human brain suggests that its dual structure allows for varied experiences of pain, indicating that our perception of discomfort is not localized but can be distributed across different areas of the brain. This insight underscores the intricate workings of our neural networks and how they contribute to our overall sensory experiences.
Themes
BrainPainPerceptionNeuroscienceHippocratesScience
In practice
Example use cases
In a seminar on neuroscience, quote Hippocrates to illustrate the complexity of pain perception.
More from Hippocrates
All quotes →The body of man has in itself blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile; these make up the nature of this body, and through these he feels pain or enjoys health. Now he enjoys the most perfect health when these elements are duly proportioned to one another in respect of compounding, power and bulk, and when they are perfectly mingled.
HippocratesRead
That which is used - develops. That which is not used wastes away.
HippocratesRead
Cure sometimes, treat often, comfort always.
HippocratesRead
Wine is an appropriate article for mankind, both for the healthy body and for the ailing man.
HippocratesRead
Walking is man's best medicine.
HippocratesRead
Similar quotes
Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill.
Stephen HawkingRead
Scientific facts are often described in textbooks as if they just sort of exist, like nickels someone picked up on the street. But science at the cutting edge, conducted by sharp minds probing deep into nature, is not about self-evident facts. It is about mystery and not knowing. It is about taking huge risks.
Richard PrestonRead
In the fields I know best, among the life sciences, it is required that the most expert and sophisticated minds be capable of changing course - often with a great lurch - every few years.
Lewis ThomasRead
Mathematics as an expression of the human mind reflects the active will, the contemplative reason, and the desire for aesthetic perfection. Its basic elements are logic and intuition, analysis and construction, generality and individuality. Though different traditions may emphasize different aspects, it is only the interplay of these antithetic forces and the struggle for their synthesis that constitute the life, usefulness, and supreme value of mathematical science.
Richard CourantRead
When I was 16 years old, I assembled a 2.3 million electron volt beta particle accelerator. I went to Westinghouse, I got 400 pounds of translator steel, 22 miles of copper wire, and I assembled a 6-kilowatt, 2.3 million electron accelerator in the garage.
Michio KakuRead
I assert that the cosmic religious experience is the strongest and the noblest driving force behind scientific research.
Albert EinsteinRead