A map contains some truth, but unless you can interpret it in the light of real world experience, it is useless. And although a map depends on the world, the world does not depend on a map.
The Matter with Things. Iain McGilchrist
This is literally true. Every map shows us a representation of the territory. It highlights certain aspects, diminishes or ignores others. They are no substitute for an experience.
The same idea applies to our systems of representation in our brain. Dan Siegel, who wrote “Mindsight”, explains that we create a “me map”, a “you map” and a “we map” in our mind. This helps us recognise and understand others and to know how particular relationships function, but it’s no substitute for the reality of subject to subject relationships. Not least because we never know all there is to know about anyone, including ourselves!
Iain McGilchrist points out how representation is how the left cerebral hemisphere functions. It doesn’t deal with reality directly. Rather it analyses, categorises and labels. It creates “maps”. But to be useful these maps and representations need to be set in the context of lived reality.
It’s a mistake to believe the map over the territory.
Heroes Not Zombies 
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