Bazele neuro-fiziologice ale intuiției
Neuro-physiological bases of intuition

Summary/Abstract: This paper makes a review of some old and new ideas that philosophers had on insight. It is shown how different they are. Psychologists created tests with which insight could be demonstrated and measured. All these have only a relative value, as long as the cerebral contribution to the intuitive process is not assessed. This became possible when we implemented a computer program of EEG Spectral Reaction Mapping (evidencing the specific cerebral Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta rhythm changes, during a functional activation). Using it, we studied comparatively the intellect and insight performance EEG effects on an intellectual (objective) proverb interpretation and an intuitive (subjective) paintings selection testing. The Mapping EEG effects of musical audition or playing, and the mental (intellectual or intuitive) effects of left and right cortical EEG dysfunctions are also described. We concluded that insight is a conscious thinking process, parallel to the intellectual one. Whereas the intellect is processed by the left associative parietal (Wernicke area), insight performances are generated by the correspondent parietal area in the right Hemisphere. Both develop ideas and logical acts of reasoning (deductive in intellectual, inductive in case of intuitive thinking). A supplementary activation of the Frontal Lobes (dorsal granular or ventral, orbital areas) ensures ideas validation, (rational or emotional) selection and decision making. Insight activates mainly the orbital affective-emotional fields. Intellectual ideas are mainly addressed for selection to the dorsal Frontal rational cortex area.

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