Is this particular component of our humanity located within the brain or a yet undisclosed location--and if not centrally located, is it our mind that we are using when we do?
2006-10-11 03:39:12 · 16 answers · asked by George A 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No odandme, I can't.
2006-10-11 03:48:56 · update #1
No. You can't prove your soul exists either, simply because both are non-physical, and since this universe we observe is physical, we cannot prove either exist. Their existance must be taken on faith.
2006-10-11 03:43:23 · answer #1 · answered by Crono 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The mind is the software that runs on the hardware of the brain. Without functional hardware, the software crashes and or ceases to exist (we do not, sadly, have hard drives yet).
Human consciousness is nothing more than an emergent behavior of the neural network of the central and peripheral nervous systems creating a feedback loop. The genetically encoded fractal pattern by which the brain grows determines the gross structure of the brain even though the fine structure is stochaistic.
The Turing test is considered the defining test for the existence of true intellect (and thus a mind). So far, no computer system has passed the turing test, though over the past few years at various competitions, many have gotten extremely close. It is believed that if one could fit a natural english front-end to the OpenCyc project that it would easily pass the turing test.
2006-10-11 10:46:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
There isn't any issue that the mind exists. The real question is what exactly IS the mind. We do know with as much certainty as needed that there is no mind WITHOUT a brain. But that still doesn't define it, or more precisely "consciousness."
This is often referred to as the "hard question" in philosophy. The publication referenced contains numerous articles on the development & the contributions of the leading thinkers on the issuie.
2006-10-11 10:49:59 · answer #3 · answered by JAT 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The mind is a process of the brain. Therefore, it is defined by the functioning of those processes. We can see direct evidence of that process through the mind's affect on our muscles, which is one of its functions. Through interaction with those muscles and other organs connected to the brain, especially the mouth and ears, we can determine that information is stored, processed, and output by the mind. Since the mind is defined by those functions and those functions can be shown to exist, the mind can be shown to exist.
2006-10-11 10:42:38 · answer #4 · answered by nondescript 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the fact you asked the question is indirect evidence that mind exists, I think, therefore I am is the classic answer
Mind is most likely and emergent phenomena when a critical mass of neural connections is made. Or so goes some current theories.
2006-10-11 10:57:24 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, there have been a few decades of study on the brain and how it functions. They have mapped where activity occurs in the brain based on different stimuli.
2006-10-11 10:41:25 · answer #6 · answered by JerseyRick 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Through psychometric imaging, we can determine if a person had a mind, because different areas of the brain "light up" when cognition occurs.
2006-10-11 10:42:04 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was going to say, Yes. However, after reading this, I may change my answer.
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BTW: If a "heart" controls your thoughts..Why do people with Heart transplants not think like the person that had the heart before.?
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2006-10-11 10:45:53 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pick up Julian Jaynes' book "The Origins of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind"...Even if you don't agree with his theory, it really gets you thinking.
2006-10-11 10:43:45 · answer #9 · answered by mutterhals 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
While everyone has a brain. most people don't use them, so for those people the mind doesn't exist.
2006-10-11 10:54:54 · answer #10 · answered by Cinnamon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋