
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
About this book
Does being left-handed make a person different in any way that matters?
Since the late Stone Age, approximately 10 percent of humans have been left-handed, yet for most of human history left-handedness has been stigmatized. In On the Other Hand, Howard I. Kushner traces the impact of left-handedness on human cognition, behavior, culture, and health.
A left-hander himself, Kushner has long been interested in the meanings associated with left-handedness, and ultimately with whether hand preference can even be defined in a significant way. As he explores the medical and cultural history of left-handedness, Kushner describes the associated taboos, rituals, and stigma from around the globe. The words "left" and "left hand" have negative connotations in all languages, and left-handers have even historically been viewed as disabled.
In this comprehensive history of left-handedness, Kushner asks why left-handedness exists. He examines the relationship—if any—between handedness, linguistics, and learning disabilities, reveals how toleration of left-handedness serves as a barometer of wider cultural toleration and permissiveness, and wonders why the reported number of left-handers is significantly lower in Asia and Africa than in the West. Written in a lively style that mixes personal biography with scholarly research, On the Other Hand tells a comprehensive story about the science, traditions, and prejudices surrounding left-handedness.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Preface
- Chapter 1. Genes and Kangaroos
- Chapter 2. Criminals or Victims?: Cesare Lombroso vs. Robert Hertz
- Chapter 3. By the Numbers: Measuring Handedness
- Chapter 4. Ambiguous Attitudes
- Chapter 5. Changing Hands, Tying Tongues
- Chapter 6. From Genes to Populations: The Search for a Cause
- Chapter 7. The Geschwind Hypothesis
- Chapter 8. Genetic Models and Selective Advantage
- Chapter 9. Uniquely Human?
- Chapter 10. A Gay Hand?
- Chapter 11. Disability, Ability, and the Left Hand
- Conclusion: Does Left-Handedness Matter?
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
- Index
- Footnotes