The Feeling of What Happens/Smile or Die

This book presents two illustrated lectures by Dr David Lister to the Swedenborg Society and both connected with Swedenborg's work on the brain. The first investigates his speculations on the hypothalamus (then referred to as the Infundibulum) and provides a chart translating Swedenborg's terminology into modern parlance. He explains the model of the triune brain and discusses metaphors for the workings of the brain, adding the interesting thought that metaphor itself may be a form of fourth brain. The second lecture is about Swedenborg's understanding of the cerebellum and unconscious procedural control governing our movements. This is illustrated with gymnastics and ballet. David moves on to explore the role of the cerebellum in temptation or moral choice and in dreams. A final section compares the muscles involved in in voluntary and voluntary control of smiles, beautifully illustrated with corresponding photographs of Julia Roberts. These lectures enable one to understand more about the history and anatomy of the brain.