tlhIngan-Hol Archive: Thu Feb 17 05:39:21 1994

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Re: nuqneH



>     For a long time, I have believed that Klingons have monolythic brains.
>Humans have bicameral brains. That's why humans see two sides to everything.
>Humans devide acts between good and bad, while Klingons are guided by honor.
>A human can argue with himself and often does. Klingons are decisive. It
>takes TWO Klingons to disagree, but only one human.

I have to disagree that the ability to see two sides to everything
has anything to do with the division of the brain into two lobes.
The righ brain vs left brain thing has been greatly overplayed.
In fact, most often, there are not as FEW as two sides to every
issue.  Our tendency to break issues down to two sides is merely
an attempt at simplification.

I would also disagree that Klingons cannot have internal conflicts
similiar to humans.  Worf had to decide whether it was better to
accept personal dishonor for the good of the Empire, or to risk
bringing about a Civil War.  He was exonerated later, but he knew
there was a chance he might not be.  I believe that most Klingons
would not have accepted discommendation.  They would have either
insisted on pressing their claims, or would have not shown up at all.
Remember they didn't expect Worf to show up in the first place.
Klingons have been as good liars as aanyone else, and we have seen
plenty of dishonorable behavior among Klingons.  Just as not
everyone in our society lives up to the standards set, not all
Klingons live up to honor, although they are expected to.
Most will, however, avoid *major* dishonors.

>     This is why Klingons do not trust humans. They know that no matter what
>comes out of a human's mouth, unspoken thoughts lurk within, carried by the
>OTHER lobe.

I think Klingons distrust humans because they percieve Humans as being
weak, although this perception has diminished - although a human
might not be able to tell a friendly Klingon from an unfreindly one. :-)

Rob Lent



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