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Synapses of Wisdom

Stephen Hershey
neuronsbig.jpg

Scientists have discovered that when faced with difficult moral situations, the brain responds by balancing primitive functions such as pleasure, aggresion, and fear with more "higher learning" areas of compassion, tolerance, and self-awareness.

Their findings claim that a greater awareness of choice or free will are managed by specific communications within the brain, which suggests that those suffering from addictions and obesity simply may not be wired for enough "conscious thought."

Dilip Jeste, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at the University of California, believes these studies "could potentially lead to developing interventions for enhancing wisdom." What scientists fail to question is the "process" of wisdom itself; that perhaps through effort and conscious growth, more advanced communication within the brain can be naturally developed.

Comments

Laissez-faire, rigid disciplin, tunnel-reality or what.

Submitted by bogomil on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 13:01.
".....that perhaps through effort and conscious growth, more advanced communication within the brain can be naturally developed."

This can turn out to become interesting. A few of us supporting the possibilty of using 'will' for enhancing consciousness (question one: IS there any difference between will and consciousness?)

and a majority advocating the automatic growth-outcome of their favourite belief-system.

This is

Submitted by dharmabumzzz on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 18:13.
really interesting! More discoveries like this and sooner or later, we will understand the human brain enough to create an intelligent, independent, artificial replica. Singularity!

New brains

Submitted by bogomil on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 18:40.
Hopefully it'll take some time before the replica model is on the market. The old variety still needs some tinkering before it can be considered as a succesful prototype number one.

Addiction seems to be

Submitted by DavidCain on Tue, 04/21/2009 - 23:12.

a survival mechanism we're trying to outgrow as a species. Having a compulsion to eat excessively or to achieve an emotional sense of security would probably benefit someone in a primitive environment, in terms of chance of survival (but not well-being.)

 

Survival is quite easy for most of us in the civilized world, so now these addiction scripts in our brains are backfiring in a big way.

 

If a person could make a habit of identifying those compulsions as they arise, yet still let logic take the driver's seat (rather than emotion,) those patterns start to unravel.

 

So hard to do... At least initially. Being aware of the brain's tendency towards addiction is the first step. Really interesting stuff.

www.raptitude.com -- The gentle art of sanity amidst civilization

Innocence + Morality?

Submitted by Stephen Hershey on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 02:49.

It would also be interesting to see this analysis on children. Would there be the same amount of brain activity in the "higher morality" areas of the brain, because of their innocence? Do children across the board have an innate sense of deep morality? Is it something taught by culture, or is it just a part of growing up?

If so, then there might be physical brain evidence of the moral leap from innocence of childhood to the deep questioning of adulthood... which would also verify beautifully the "Garden of Eden" myth of losing purity by eating the fruit of knowledge... the knowledge of "good" and "evil."... or the main thought processes behind moral thinking.


"You have tasted death now," said the Old Man. "Is it good?"

"It is good," Mossy replied. "It is better than life."

"No... only more life."

 

Psychedelics

Submitted by psychonaut on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 12:12.
Have they looked into if psychedelics can help rewire the brain for more conscious thought. Seems to me those future interventions for enhancing wisdom that they speak of should really just be Ayahuasca ceremonies, or a LSD voyage, etc.