If you are familiar with this castle I bet you know exactly which one it is from this photo. I’ve focused in on a small part of the building but I think it’s a very distinctive part.
When I learned how to make a diagnosis we were taught that most of the time you can do it by listening carefully to what the patient said (some physical examination might help distinguish between different possibilities and tests should be used last). What we listened for were the distinctive symptoms which were typical of particular diseases.
When I learned homeopathy we were taught that the most “strange, rare and peculiar” symptoms were often the key to finding the best remedy. In other words it was the most distinctive, most individual symptoms which often revealed what was most specific in this particular patient’s situation or experience.
Both of these teachings emphasise the individual story, and sticking with my usual “and not or”, between them I found how to make both a good diagnosis and a good remedy!
From a left hemisphere, right hemisphere perspective that’s a matter of recognising both what’s typical or “general”, and what’s specifically individual in each situation.
Heroes Not Zombies 
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