Does your mind control your brain? OR Does your brain control your mind?

Answer 1

Jackie! You've opened up a great debate here which I didn't come across until the final year of my Psychology degree! This debate is called the Mind-body problem and is VERY controversial in Philosophy and Psychology as no-one can agree on what the solution should be.

Essentially, the mind-body problem is that researchers can't decide whether the mind is separate from the body (dualism) or whether it and the body are made up of the same 'substance' which makes up everything in the universe and are therefore the same thing (monism). it sounds quite simple, but there are slightly different views within each perspective:

1. The original theory of dualism (called cartesian dualism because it was coined by Descartes in the 17th century) suggested that the mind and body are 2 separate things. the mind can effect the body but the body can't affect the mind. The body is like a machine (like a car) and the mind/soul is the ghost (driver). When explaining behaviour in terms of this theory, medicine in particular tends to study and treat the body in the same way that you would fix a car. i.e. fix the faulty part (e.g. faulty hormones).

2. Interactionism-this proposes that the mind and body are separate but have a 2 way connection. i.e. the mind effects the body and the body effects the mind.

Theories of monism include:

Peripheral materialism-believes that there is no such thing as a mind because you can't see it or measure it. It therefore doesn't exist.

Central materialism-believes that there may be such a thing as a mind but if so it works in exactly the same way as the body.

The final theory of monism believes that the mind is simply an extension of the body and that it could simply be just a biological by-product (waste broduct) of physical processes.

All of these theories can be criticised in one way or another, so I have an open mind on this issue. However, I lean towards interactionism. I.e. I think that the mind and the body can control each other. Evidence for this comes from split brain patients (people who have had the 'bridge' between the 2 halves of their brain cut to prevent the spread of epilepsy) who live perfectly normal lives BUT sometimes experience situations where 'the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing'.

I hope I've answered your question!

If you need more info, consult:

Psychology: the Science of Mind and Behaviour (5th Edition)-Gross, R

Look under the chapter entitled-issues and debates-free-will and determinism.

Answer 2

It's incorrect to say that the mind is housed in, or is contained by the brain. Mind and brain are one.

The mind is what the brain does. The brain is a physical part of your body whose job it is to create the mental experience we call mind - sensations, perceptions, feelings, thoughts, imaginings, reasoning, language, memory, learning, analysis, evaluation, problem solving, decision making....a lot of functions

So brain and mind are one. It's a little inappropriate to say the brain controls your mind. But it definitely creates what we know of as mind.

On the other hand, neuroscientists have learned that the mind can cause physical changes in the brain. This happens through learning. The brain decides to learn a new skill, for example, and the result - after an awful lot of practice - is a new neural pathway...a new physical part of the brain is connected up to enable the skill.

Sort of like the TV is the hardware and the show is what the TV produces. Only with the brain, the show can direct behavior that changes the make-up of the hardware!

Answer 3

Your mind is your spirit or you can call it your conscience if you like. When your spirit leaves your body, the body dies.
Your brain is just another part of your anatomy that makes up the body, albeit one of the more important parts. Yes, the mind controls the brain. You could say it's the brain behind the human brain.

Answer 4

I think the brain controls the mind.

Answer 5

It is the thinking mind in which is in control of the brain, where it is thoughts of that trigger numerous reactions on the subatomic level thus forming a new brain.

The old cells... they are eventually "passed" though the bodily functions which in my mind could possibly be the true source of every fart I ever blew. =)

Answer 6

Or is the brain and mind one and the same thing?

Answer 7

O the old mind-body question. Try reading stuff by Descartes and John Locke its fascinating stuff. Personally I think the brain has overall control as you can't live without it.

Answer 8

brain is an object , dont confuse in this , will u say any one "mind your words" and "the classpeopleleader will mind the class students", so mind is the duty performed by the brain... the brain is minding all the activities of the body , no one will control the brain, the action s or commands r given by the brain, if u want more to know the logics , ask me

Answer 9

The Brain houses the mind and one cannot operate without the other. You can't have a mind without a brain unless of course you're a computer..

Answer 10

One day the body was in disunity with everyone auguring who was most important.
The eyes said that they were because only they could see they way.
The brain said it was because it sorted out all the problems
The stomach said it was because it fed everyone with energy
Eventually the bum chimed in saying it was the most important.
Everyone laughed and took the Mickey out of the bum
So the bum went on strike.
Soon the stomach was in pain
The eyes were crossed and the brain was fogged.
Soon they gave in an acknowledged what we all know
THE BOSS IS THE BUM.