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Phrenology bust by L. N. Fowler
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Phrenology bust by L. N. Fowler
Phrenology bust by L.N. Fowler. Phrenology was a popular pseudoscience of the nineteenth century. The basis for the theory lay in a misplaced belief that a persons character and mental faculties effected the shape of their head. It was thought that this was because the skull became modified over the different functional areas of the cortex of the brain. Practitioners of the technique claimed that they could read a person, that is assess their personality, by feeling the bumps on their head. In this bust, a wide range of personality traits are mapped across the various bones that comprise the skull
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Media ID 6419973
© DAVID PARKER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY
Historical Image Phrenology Quack Treatment Quackery Fowler
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This print showcases a Phrenology bust created by L. N. Fowler, providing us with a glimpse into the intriguing world of nineteenth-century pseudoscience. Phrenology was an immensely popular yet misguided belief system that claimed a person's character and mental abilities could be determined by examining the shape of their head. According to this theory, different areas of the brain's cortex would modify the skull, thus revealing distinct personality traits. In this meticulously crafted bust, we witness an intricate mapping of various personality traits across the bones comprising the skull. Each bump on the head supposedly held clues about an individual's disposition and capabilities. Practitioners of this controversial technique boasted that they could decipher one's entire persona simply by feeling these bumps. However, history has labeled phrenology as medical charlatanism and quackery due to its lack of scientific basis. Nevertheless, this image serves as a reminder of how far our understanding of human psychology has come since then. Science Photo Library presents us with not only a historical artifact but also prompts contemplation on humanity's quest for knowledge throughout time. It is fascinating to observe how even flawed theories like phrenology played significant roles in shaping our understanding of ourselves and our minds.
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