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The principal and secondary eyes are also sensitive to different types of visual information compared to the principal eyes. The principal eyes are thought to process detail, while the secondary eyes are highly sensitive to moving stimuli (Land 1995; Zurek & Nelson, 2012; Morehouse et al., 2017). For example, Spano et al. (2012) tested which set of eyes mediates the response to looming stimuli. When presented with such stimuli, spiders with their principal eyes masked but their ALEs unmasked reacted to it by retreating, while spiders with their ALEs masked and principal eyes unmasked were less likely to do so. The researchers concluded that the secondary eyes are primarily responsible for the loom response. 

The principal and AL eyes may also work together to gather visual information. A recent study (Jakob et al., 2018) investigated how lateral eyes direct the principal eyes of jumping spiders when tracking objects. In order to test this,Phidippus audax spiders were tethered in front of an eyetracker that recorded the gaze direction of eyes. 

Most animals must integrate input from different sensory organs. For example, females might choose mates based on multimodal signals, such as vibratory and visual cues (Hebets and Uetz 1999). Other animals have several sense organs within the same modality. For instance, many insects have both compound eyes, which discern image detail, and ocelli, which are sensitive only to light and dark (reviewed in Cronin et al. 2014). Spiders are particularly interesting because most species have eight eyes of two different types. Most well studied are the jumping spiders (Family Salticidae) are characterized by their powerful visual acuity, which is used for many complex behaviors such as predation and courtship. They have four pairs of eyes, which consist of a single cornea and retina, of two morphological types: the principal and the secondary eyes (Figure 1). The corneas of jumping spiders are integrated in their exoskeletons and do not move. The tiny, boomerang shaped retinas of the principal eyes have the best resolution but are restricted by a narrow field of view. In order to examine a visual scene, jumping spiders use a set of six muscles to move the retinas, which are situated at the back of long tubes within the cephalothorax (Land, 1969; Figure 2). This scanning can increase the angle of view from approximately 10°to 58°(Land, 1969).

Medicine is one of the most ancient sciences. Another idea I learned is that there is big difference between Eastern and Western medicine. This may be due to the fact that Western and Eastern medicine developed at different times and separately from each other, so they are radically different. This is again shown from the views of Lees and Lia's doctors. First difference I found was that the doctor focused on studying the causes of various pathological conditions in the human body. Basically, he aimed more at eliminating the consequences of diseases. Lia’s family viewed the world through that of Eastern medicine. Such that, Eastern doctors are more focused on the person as a whole and the body's ability to counteract pathogens. Medicine in the east is more focused on the prevention of diseases than on the fight against them. Furthermore, Lia’s family share a whole separate philosophy. Their view of medicine takes into account such concepts as energy, spirit. While the western doctor approaches medicine through dry scientific approach. Fadiman suggests that this differences in medical practice, belief, and inability to communicate were the failures that lead to the death of Lia.

Again, medicine is one of the most ancient sciences. Another idea I learned is that there is big difference between Eastern and Western medicine. This may be due to the fact that Western and Eastern medicine developed at different times and separately from each other, so they are radically different. This is again shown from the views of Lees and Lia's doctors. First difference I found was that the doctor focused on studying the causes of various pathological conditions in the human body. Basically, he aimed more at eliminating the consequences of diseases. Lia’s family viewed the world through that of Eastern medicine. Such that, Eastern doctors are more focused on the person as a whole and the body's ability to counteract pathogens. Medicine in the east is more focused on the prevention of diseases than on the fight against them. Furthermore, Lia’s family share a whole separate philosophy. Their view of medicine takes into account such concepts as energy, spirit. While the western doctor approaches medicine through dry scientific approach. Fadiman suggests that this differences in medical practice, belief, and inability to communicate were the failures that lead to the death of Lia.

·       When meeting with new people of other cultures, people usually have a natural tendency to perceive their behavior from the standpoint of their own culture. Misunderstanding of a foreign language, gestures, and other elements of behavior often leads to a false interpretation of the meaning of their actions. Another historical pieces of knowledge I gained from reading Fadiman’s book is that cultural biases have prevented us from connecting with others. In Hmong culture, epilepsy is known as quag dab peg, which means the spirit catches you and you fall down, the title of the book. In the Hmong culture seizures is known to be a good thing. Moreover, Fadiman states that, the Hmong people are distrustful of Western physicians who do nothing, but experiment on their patients. To connect with others, especially the Hmong people. This is evident when Fadiman tells the reader about a Hmong-American student who gave a presentation about fish soup and the Hmong culture. In that presentation, the student gave detailed methods of preparing the fish soup. To Fadiman, the fish soup gives a window to how best understand the Hmong culture. And that to truly understand the Hmong culture, we must understand their history and where they came from. 

Before the Vietnam war, we as Americans saw our nation as superior to other countries in every aspect of wealth, power, and characteristics. Thus, the Vietnam War compelled millions of citizens to question this belief known as American exceptionalism. At first, after WWII, confidence in American exceptionalism was at its peak. After the Vietnam war, however, Americans came to believe that their leaders had misled and even lied to them about the realities of the war. All in all, the combination of shock and mistrust toward the government as a result of the war, shattered the central tenet of American national identity. One of the historical pieces of knowledge I gained from reading Fadiman’s book is that the U.S. government destroyed democracy, freedom, and the Hmong people. The book highlights for me how the government due to its involvement in the war forced thousands of people off their land. Moreover, I believe that the appearance of refugees aided the actions of the U.S. government by portraying the belief that America is always the good guys and always victorious. 

Scope of Medicine: Medicine is one of the most ancient sciences. For many centuries, people have been looking for ways to deal with various diseases. Due to the fact that Western and Eastern medicine developed at different times and separately from each other, they are radically different. This is shown in the book as Fadiman examines the beliefs of Lees and Lia's doctors. First difference I found was that the doctor focused on studying the causes of various pathological conditions in the human body. Basically, he aimed more at eliminating the consequences of diseases. Lia’s family viewed the world through that of Eastern medicine. Such that, Eastern doctors are more focused on the person as a whole and the body's ability to counteract pathogens. Medicine in the East is more focused on the prevention of diseases than on the fight against them. Furthermore, Lia’s family share a whole separate philosophy. Their view of medicine takes into account such concepts as energy, spirit. While the western doctor approaches medicine through dry scientific approach. Fadiman suggests that this differences in medical practice, belief, and inability to communicate were the failures that lead to the death of Lia.

Pain and Hope: The Vietnam War has become a phenomenon of our nation’s modern-day warfare and culture, whose effects have come up to daylight and whose debate has yet to be finalized. This war has had a great influence on America’s society, politics, and economy. Socially, the Vietnam war has shattered its people’s faith in American exceptionalism and gave rise to the antiwar movement. Politically, the Vietnam war helped establish the 26th Amendment and the War Powers Resolution. And economically, the Vietnam war stressed the production of normal goods, rose inflation, and increased labor costs. However, Fadiman in The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, recounts the history of the Hmong people, from being driven from their homes in both China and Laos to fighting in Vietnam war and being abandoned by the U.S. government. The majority of Hmong people lost their loved ones as a result of the Vietnam war. They lost their relatives, possessions, and country to immigrate into the United States. However, one thing the new arrivals held onto was hope. This is evident as Lia's family never gave up hope that their daughter's soul would return.  

Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, as the literal translation from the Hmong language is epilepsy, is a story of the misunderstanding in medicine due to intercultural differences proving to be deadly. But on this medical route, Fadiman moves to the town of Merced in California and speaks with the local Hmong immigrant community. In this way, she manages to tell the heartbreaking story of Leah Lee, a little girl with a severe form of epilepsy. Fadiman portrays how diverging views on health and illness, between the Eastern philosophy of Lia’s parents and her Western doctors, condemned Leah to death.