IUBio

Ten Percent Myth

mat mats_trash at hotmail.com
Mon Feb 18 07:51:50 EST 2002


kcornwell at home.com (Kevin Cornwell) wrote in message 
> A key variable is where consciousness is.

What do you mean by this? where in the brain consciousness is located?

> 
> A method of understanding the usage of the brain might include the
> idea of conscious/unconscious processes.  

Really, what is consciousness and how does it arise?  you cn't employ
the concept without saying what it is.
 
> You
> entire past history is something that you could potentially remember
> thus bring into consciousness.  That is a LOT of data.  

A bit speculative?  


 
> So it seems that with all that IS going on all the time, perhaps we
> only consciously pay attention to a small portion of what is possible
> to be experienced at any given point in time.  

I think this is common knowledge

> And if
> something happens that their unconscious "thinks" requires MORE
> conscious attention then that will come into consciousness.  And they
> simply wake up.

Actually, *unconscious* leared behaviours are far more efficent and
accurate than any actions we undertake consciously.  I would much
rather my *unconscious* mind take over in critical situations than
have to make decisions myself

> 
> To some of you these ideas may have never been thought of before

I think most of us will have

> you have read or heard of people who
> can slow their heart rate, lower their blood pressure and breathing
> rates directly.  These are people who have learned how to "adjust"
> deep unconscious processes.  

I don't think breathing faster or slower is a deep unconscious
process.  Further, if I perform the valsalva manoeuver (forcing
exhalation but closing your throat so you don't actually expire) I can
modulate heart rate and blood pressure.  Though I believe you are
referring to a more esoteric notion of *thinking* about lowering blood
pressure and it happening

I would take some time to read more about neuroscience and even some
philosophy of mind. The ideas of conscious and unconscious which you
talk about seem to have an implicit notion of dualism, which may be
your belief, but they cloud the issue of what the physcial brain
itself can do.




More information about the Neur-sci mailing list

Send comments to us at biosci-help [At] net.bio.net