If we only use 13% of our brain, does this mean we have senses we haven't yet learned to use?

Answer 1

We use all of our brain! It is a common misconception that we only use 10-15% of our brain that is believed to have started with a motivational speaker.

Think about it logically. If you only use only 10% of your brain, then you could sacrifice up to 90% and be OK... which 90% would you be willing to sacrifice? Why is a shot to the head an effective form of murder/suicide? When such damage occurs in an adult human, death is the most likely outcome. Others have major deficits.

See the story of H.M. who cannot make new memories:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/h.m....

Also see the stories of what happens when one hemisphere of the brain cannot communicate with the other:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/split_brain...

See what a little damage to the left hemisphere does to the brain and speech functions:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broca%27s_area
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernicke%27s_aphasia

The autopsy of Terry Schiavo, the now infamous comatose patient, revealed that her brain was half the weight expected for a normal female of her age and weight. If we assume that the other 50% is functional... Terry Schiavo, however, was far from functional.

MRI research potentiates this myth by showing figures that are commonly interpreted as the "brain regions that are currently active". THIS IS NOT THE CASE. MRI measures the CHANGE in activity between one state (control) and another time point (experiment). Therefore, if a brain region had 100000 neurons active in the control epoch and the same number (but different population) active in the experimental epoch, the resulting MRI would reveal no difference!

The nervous system is a highly developed organ and would not generate tissue that is not useful. All neurons are used and more neurons are generated daily (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurogenesis)- pretty neat, huh?

Other common myths:
-Beer and liqour kills brain cells
- Aging is associated with neuron loss (in fact, dendrites get larger in normal aging!)

Hope this helps

Answer 2

Presently we use about 10% of our brain. I think there are more senses that we have not fully developed yet, yes. I also believe that in the future more of our brains will be used for this purpose. Just like a computer, our brains have space for expansion. As we evovle as humans more brain mass will become developed.

Answer 3

The average person uses around 10% of his or her brain. That leaves a whopping 90% just waiting to do something - but what? I'm usually a skeptical person, yet I once heard (and believe) that psychic phenomenae (precognitive episodes, ESP, etc) may possibly be attributed to a burst of energy passing through and briefly igniting a usually dormant part of our brains. It seems plausible, doesn't it?

Answer 4

No, you use 8% of your brain. The other 92% is for padding, redundancy, and backup in cause your hard drive fails or there are bad sectors. Bad sectors can be cause by drinking too much beer or too much impact on the brain by banging your head against the wall.

Answer 5

We use 10% or our brain at one time, but it switches between different places of the brain.

Answer 6

I don't know about the rest of you, but I use 100% of my brain. I don't think your statistic is accurate.

The brain just isn't a blob of tissue. For instance, it has lobes and glands, e.g. the ocipital lobe or the amygdala gland.

I suggest you check out my sources.

Answer 7

The author, Colin Wilson, refers to this as faculty X. He claims that magick will be the science of the future.

Answer 8

I think the use you're talking about it cognizant (sp?) thinking. We use alot of our brain for mundane functions like breathing and regulating body temperature, it's just we don't think about it.

Answer 9

we use way less than 13% of our brain.

Answer 10

Wow i've never thought of that before. Yeah i guess so. Whoa thats actually kinda cool to think of. It would be awesome to have SPIDEY senses.....lol.