Hi Jay,

        No - I don't feel that I contradict myself.
        True I am ascribing left handedness to biological causes, but as
with much of human behavior I would suggest that biology only ever causes a
predilection towards a particular pattern rather than being absolutely
deterministic.
        Left handers are born with a higher level of manual dexterity on
that side, but are quite capable of being ( and historically have been )
trained / coerced into habitually using their right.
        The organisation of their brain is such that they preferentially use
their left hand.  ( No ? )

        Robin,

        I am not suggesting that this is the case, but could it not be that
the 3 groups you identify represent 3 different stage of fetal development
at which the deficit occurred, and the different degrees to which the
developing brain was able to re-allocate the functions of the area affected
?
        I know that post partum neurological development follows clearly
identifiable stages & presume fetal development follows a similar pattern.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jay Heuman [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, 8 September 2000 01:33
> To:   [log in to unmask]
> Subject:      Re: On Lefties
>
> Hi Peter,
>
> In your response to Larry on the potential cause of left-handedness, you
> contradict yourself.  You write that "the prevalent medical explanation
> for left handedness seemed to be that it results from a minor deficit in
> brain development during the early stages of fetal growth."  You go on
> to describe left-handedness as a "preference."  Something biophysical
> cannot be a choice, eh?
>
> Something to ponder . . . Yours truly,
>
> Jay Heuman
> Visitor & Volunteer Services Coordinator
> Joslyn Art Museum http://www.joslyn.org
> 2200 Dodge Street
> Omaha, NE     68102
> Phone: 402-342-3300, ext. 298
> Fax: 402-342-2376
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
> Behalf Of Peter McAllister
> Sent: Wednesday, September 06, 2000 7:09 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: On Lefties
>         Larry.
>         This may be chiming in a bit late - while investigating why my
> mailbox is full I found this discussion list & your item caught my eye.
>         Someone else may have already brought this up & I'm running the
> risk
> of offending someone I've never met - but although my personal
> experience
> with lefties is that they tend as a group to be high achievers, I had to
> do
> some research on left handedness while at Vic a couple of years ago &
> the
> prevalent medical explanation for left handedness seemed to be that it
> results from a minor deficit in brain development during the early
> stages of
> fetal growth.
>         Don't swear at me Larry.
>         I agree it is a sorry reflection on the human condition that
> something as insignificant as a preference for using the left hand can
> lead
> to the level of discrimination and persecution that it has historically
> & I
> hope you escaped its effects.
>         Peter M.
>
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