On the phylogeny of asymmetry and spatial discrimination.
We define and develop the fundamental experimental conditions required for an organism to demonstrate the capacity for spatial discrimination. It is then shown that concomitant with evolutionary progression in organisms, there is a corresponding increase in the dimensions of functional asymmetry, and in the quantity and dimensionality of spatial discrimination. It is also shown that the mismatch in asymmetry between the human body form and functional mechanism, and a demonstrated weakness in left--right discrimination, implies that the human organism is in transition between archetypal stages of phylogeny. Implications for the phenomena of mirrorimage reversal and left--right confusion are discussed. It is further argued that the development of functional asymmetry is an inherent principle of evolution.
D000818:Animals; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D010802:Phylogeny; D010932:Planarians / Q000502:physiology; D010986:Platyhelminths / Q000502:physiology; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000502:physiology; D013037:Spatial Behavior / Q000502:physiology*