How Hearing Works
Hearing
Hearing (and the mechanism of hearing) is yet another example of the exquisite design and function that nature has developed. The ear and its hearing mechanism are composed of the tiniest bones within the human body. Both are encased within the hardest bone in the human body.
The life sense of hearing incorporates a range of acoustic energy functions, biomechanical processes, and neural processing and interpretation to give us the ability to communicate with one another, enjoy the sounds of nature, hear music, and to sing and laugh.
The ability to hear connects all mankind and crosses all language barriers. As Helen Keller once stated, “Vision loss separates us from things; hearing loss separates us from each other.”
How Hearing Works
Most mammalian ears function in the same manner, although the ways in which the neural energy is used differ vastly.
Essentially, the ear works to change sounds in the environment (acoustic energy) into energy that can be analyzed by the brain (neural energy, electro-chemical energy).
The human ear is divided into three general parts. This division is based upon function and anatomy. Divisions are also important with respect to ear diseases or damage that may require treatment and/or correction. All of these can be discussed relative to the drawing above.
