The Road to the Truth

Abstract

I mean looking for the way to the truth in relation to hearing. The truth can be sought and it should be done. There is a lot of ambiguity in Bekesy's theory [1]. There is new knowledge that Bekesy did not have, there are new research opportunities. Looking through foreign papers, one can believe that faith in Bekesy's theory still reigns. Complex examinations of the basilar membrane are performed. The reason for the lack of a good stapedotomy result is investigated by increasing the piston diameter from 0.4 to 0.6 mm. Increasing the piston surface area by 100% does not result in a significant improvement in audibility. Since high tones of 10 or 20 dB can be heard with bone conduction, also in otosclerosis, but 90 dB cannot be heard with a 0.4 or 0.6 mm piston after stapedotomy, increasing the wave energy flux by 70 dB has no impact on hearing high tones [2]. Maybe it doesn't involve transferring energy to the cochlear fluids and the basilar membrane? There must be another straight path, besides the one determined by Helmholtz and Bekesy - the bony path through the bone of the cochlear casing. It probably exists. Why can't this be examined? Is it impossible to put forward such a thesis? Because it is inconsistent with the traveling wave theory? Awarded with the Nobel Prize in 1961? The analyses, collected material, and evidence confirm my belief that we hear high-pitched sounds independently of the basilar membrane and the tip-links mechanism. If someone believes in something, they should defend their views. Science is moving forward and we know more and more about hearing. Prof. Kotarbiński wrote a very wise sentence: " Let's try to undermine everything, because only in this way can we say what cannot be undermined." I do not seek to refute Bekesy's theory, but to learn the truth. Years later, the more I know about hearing, the more gaps I see in Bekesy's theory. That's why I try to analyze all aspects of hearing down to the smallest detail. Bekesy did not have access to such knowledge as we have now, even at universities in Hungary, Sweden and Harvard.

Citation

Jan Myjkowski. The Road to the Truth. WebLog J Otolaryngol. wjot.2026. e0202. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20004756