Localization Vs. Holism Language Essay - 1524 Words

Localization vs. Holism: Language in the Brain Introduction The brain is undoubtedly the most complex organ within the human body. Despite advances in technology and extensive research, the brain remains a mysterious and controversial structure. One controversial topic in particular involves the areas of the brain that coordinate the complicated and elaborate process of language. That is, there is division concerning whether language is localized in a specific region or regions, or if it is distributed throughout the entire brain. These contradictory theories are more commonly known as localization and holism, respectively. This paper will investigate this issue by first detailing both theories. Then, my personal perspective on this controversial topic will be addressed and defended. Finally, the clinical implications that are intertwined in these theories will be examined. The first of the two opposing theories to be investigated is localization, which is a school of thought that attributes specific functions to specific areas of the brain (Northoff, 2014). To obtain a better understanding of this theory, the history of this theory will be explored. In 1825, the localization of mental processes was introduced by Franz Joseph Gall. Gall proposed that the brain contained distinct organs within its cortex, each of which served a specific moral, spiritual, or intellectual ability. Localization was mostly a discredited concept until Paul Broca’s critical supporting contribution