Higher Order Cerebral Function

Higher Order Cerebral Functioning This is an article critique of a paper written on Higher Order Cerebral Functioning The Article hypothesizes the difference between conscious and unconscious thoughts and suggests that higher order cerebral functioning refers to the cognitive ability of an individual i.e. consciousness. The primary basis of the article is to create a differentiation between the conscious and unconscious state. Though potentially confusing the literature review does allow the reader a better understanding of the subject.

The writer attempts to make clear the fact that there are many instances where we are consciously acting but because the action is so customary or 'conditioned' it seems as if it is being done unconsciously. Seemingly a paradoxical statement the writer is apt to get lost in his own argument. However, he presents his arguments in a well-organized manner with a logical development that saves it from being 'lost'.

Rosenthal suggests that the perception of ones conscious state was believed to be an active understanding or thought, however, that was the traditional belief. Recent studies suggest that we 'do not sense our conscious states, but instead are conscious of them by having thoughts about them. These thoughts are then referred to as the 'higher-order thought' This idea suggests that there is a part of our brain that is actively 'sensing' our desires and needs and then interpreting them without an active interpretation of our thoughts.

Thus, though the sensing is conscious we are unconscious of the trend or pathway taken by our thoughts. According to research the part of the brain responsible for the higher order learning is the cerebral cortex. For most people, the right hemisphere seems to do this better than the left hemisphere because the right side tends to be more a temporal and processes higher order information in a holistic fashion.

The left hemisphere, on the other hand, tends to process higher order information in a categorical and analytical fashion, requiting atemporal appreciation of different variables. The most important aspect of higher learning as presented by the author is that of its application to linguistics and language. At a time when the debate of bilingualism is prevalent in society it would be effective to understand how a child learns.

Because conscious thought develops through the perceptions and interpretations of ones experience then it can be suggested that every decision made is based on conscious thought. Higher order cerebral functions then are those that are preconceived and yet, active in every state. Though the writer presents a well-researched article with plenty of references and reviews from previous researches he fails to give the reader a constructive idea of the issue.

Higher order learning is yet a developing concept and it is usually better to lay the base of the issue before launching into the whole argument analysis-which is what the writer has done. However, alone, the paper can be used for future research as it gives.