With the rise of classical Greece, the soul debate evolved into the more familiar heart-versus-brain, the liver having been demoted to an accessory role. We are fortunate that this is so, for we would otherwise have been faced with Celine Dion singing My Liver Belongs to You and movie houses playing The Liver Is a Lonely Hunter. Every Spanish love song that contains the word corazon, which is all of them, would contain the somewhat less lilting higado, and bumper stickers would proclaim, I {liver symbol} my Pekingese.
The debate regarding the essence of the soul transformed during the rise of classical Greece, focusing more on the conflict between the heart and the brain, while the liver became less significant in this context. This shift in perception brought about a more relatable understanding of emotions, as the heart was embraced as the symbol of love and passion, leading to more appealing artistic expressions in literature and music.
Had the liver remained central to these discussions, modern culture could have been quite different, with songs and phrases reflecting its importance in ways that seem absurd today. Imagine Celine Dion dedicating a hit song to the liver or Spanish love songs romanticizing the organ instead of the heart. This whimsical idea highlights how cultural trends influence language and expression, making the heart a more apt vessel for human emotion.
