Are we just a collection of sparking neural messages whizzing about our brains? It might be disturbing for some to consider that our attitudes and beliefs, our thoughts and feelings are the result of a complex mix of neural connections and chemicals that work together to construct our unique view of the world. Or are we more than that?
I would argue that, when it comes to the human mind, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Some would argue otherwise, but would they be able to provide consistent proof that our consciousness is nothing more than a web of neurons? Take for instance the glial cell. For decades we believed that glial cells had no purpose other than to support neurons, and 90% of the brain consists of glial cells (this is why we believed that we use just 10% of our brains – the rest was comprised of “useless” glial cells). New research suggests we have underestimated the function of glial cells and it appears that glial cells may have a much greater role in human thought (read about it).
Perhaps I should say that the human mind is greater than the sum of its known parts.
Hi Phil,
As I mentioned in our conversation this morning, I tend towards an inclusive approach that suggests that we are the stuff of our minds (of course ‘the brain’ extends into the body through the nervous system, and regulates and is informed through the endocrinatic system). As such we would have to say that in part we are our bodies (not just the cells of our brains, although those are important!) However, I have found Ken Wilber’s all quadrant, all level (AQAL) approach to consciousness quite helpful in breaking down the false dualism between consciousness and matter. Thus on an individual exterior level (my biology) the individual’s brain has a great deal to do with their identity and consciousness. However on a collective exterior level (the human or mammalian brain) there is also an element of additional identity forming activity going on. Then of course you have the individual interior (what I think and believe about myself that forms me) and the collective interior (what ‘our’ culture, religion, socialization, has contributed towards my understand of myself in relation to others).
You can read more about my understanding of Wilber here: http://www.spirituality.org.za/2009/08/brief-compendium-of-ken-wilbers-all.html and a few other Wilber posts here: http://blogsearch.google.com/blogsearch?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=Wilber+blogurl:http://www.spirituality.org.za/&btnG=Search+Blogs
Then, with regards to the idea of an objective mapping of the functions of the brain (i.e., how the electrical and chemical components function to create outputs of action or thought), you may be interested to read some of Ray Kurzweil’s thoughts. He has done a great deal in trying to map and emulate brain function (his speciality has been speech synthesis and speech recognition), but more recently he has become knowing for his mathematical predictions of the exponential increase in computational capacity in machines.
I discussed this at length (and also discussed Wilber and consciousness at length) in my doctoral thesis. See the following post for links and information about Kurzweil (discussed in chapter 2) and you can read about Wilber in chapter 4.
http://www.spirituality.org.za/2010/01/interview-with-ray-kurzweil-spiritual.html
I am currently contract from Cambridge scholars press who will be publishing my PhD in a more ‘popular’ form as book in 2010 (the working title is ‘Why you may not be who you think you are – adventures in neuroscience, strong artificial intelligence and philosophy’)
The original interview with Ray Kurzweil in h+ can be found here:
http://www.hplusmagazine.com/articles/ai/ray-kurzweil-h-interview
Blessings,
Dion
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