Science > Diet and Health
The Polyvagal Theory - Stephen W. Porges
Gawan:
I'm currently reading that book.
It is very scientific and maybe not the most easiest read, considering all the medical technical terms, nonetheless it widens the perspective of the vagus nerve and many other things.
What I'm wondering, so far this book is based on all the scientific papers written by Porges, so is it then possible to read some later chapters first I'm interested in and skip some others for the moment?
Polyvagal-Theory
Approaching Infinity:
--- Quote from: Legolas on May 29, 2011, 09:23:36 PM ---I'm currently reading that book.
It is very scientific and maybe not the most easiest read, considering all the medical technical terms, nonetheless it widens the perspective of the vagus nerve and many other things.
What I'm wondering, so far this book is based on all the scientific papers written by Porges, so is it then possible to read some later chapters first I'm interested in and skip some others for the moment?
Polyvagal-Theory
--- End quote ---
I've just started the book, too. From what he writes in the intro, it sounds like as long as you're familiar with the basics (laid out in the first couple chapters), you should be able to skip around.
Megan:
I haven't even ordered the book. Could you by any chance tell me about what the point size is? This one is still in hardcover so the print might be large enough for me to read. I have found some printed books, like Lost Christianity, unreadable because of the small, fuzzy print. Therefore I don't know where best to begin if you have already read the papers.
I did read the original scientific paper, and the later "Love Paper." It is really interesting reading if you can bear to wade through it. I obtained the papers as PDF files, sent them to my Kindle, and used the built-in instant dictionary to look up terms I had forgotten. That helped quite a bit.
What I have especially noticed since reading those two papers is that when something "grabs" me -- a movie I am watching, for example -- I can begin to identify the neurophysiological pathways that make that possible. I can see even more clearly now that one can do all sorts of things to another person by just knowing what buttons to push and how, something spellbinders and other pathological types know all too well, not to mention movie makers. Being more aware of these pathways makes it possible to build better defenses.
Another book that was helpful along these lines is Martha Stout's The Paranoia Switch in which she describes the manner in which "leaders" (spellbinders, etc) engage in "limbic warfare." I was already well aware of the practice, but not of the underlying physiology of the limbic system.
Laura:
I would NOT skip any chapters. Yes, it is a collection of papers, but each one - even though it may repeat stuff - builds on the one before. Frankly, some of it is so complex, it bears repeating.
Approaching Infinity:
--- Quote from: Laura on May 29, 2011, 10:30:28 PM ---I would NOT skip any chapters. Yes, it is a collection of papers, but each one - even though it may repeat stuff - builds on the one before. Frankly, some of it is so complex, it bears repeating.
--- End quote ---
Good to know!
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