IUBio

What is "Mind" in Terms of Brain Function

pspangle at worldnet.att.net pspangle at worldnet.att.net
Tue Nov 24 18:18:15 EST 1998


In article <uss62.4902$QO1.9403838 at newse2.tampabay.rr.com>,
  "Rex Bennett" <rbennet2 at tampabay.rr.com> wrote:
> Someone out there may be able to answer this for me.
>
> I understand, in general terms, how the brain functions. (As a layman.)
> I know that the brain is electro-chemical in function and that the
> firing of the synapses (millions of them) create the metafunction we
> tend to call "mind."  This places the functions squarely in the world of
> matter/energy.  However, of this metafunction we call "mind," how
> does it come to be?  What is its structure?  Is the mind made up of
> "brain waves?"  Is it made from specific firing sequences?  Is it a
> form of electron plasma?
>
> I know these questions may sound silly to some out there, but I
> would be appreciative if some knowledgeable soul could tell me
> the (matter/energy) physical nature of "mind" as opposed to
> the brain that creates it.
>
> Thanks in advance,       (rbennet2 at tampabay.rr.com)
> Rex
>

You have asked the $64 billion question.  There are at least as many answers
as there are people studying it.

"Mind" in my mind is made of many parts.  Start with "consciousness," the
awareness of the here and now (or at most a few hundred milliseconds ago). 
Then there is the part of us that decides what to do next, but that is beyond
me.

If you want to explore the current thinking, may I suggest the moderated
newsgroup sci.psychology.consciousness

There is also the web site http://www.phil.vt.edu/ASSC/ by the Association for
the Scientific Study of Consciousness.

Have fun.

Patrick Spangler

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