From: Clint O'Dell (clintodell@hotmail.com)
Date: Sun Aug 29 1999 - 16:39:33 MDT
I wrote:
>First I created a thought. I controlled what thoughts ran through my head
>and noticed that the thoughts were created by me. They were not created by
>responses to events. So I must have some free will there.
Cameron Reilly wrote:
>I'm fascinated by your comments because this totally contradicts my own
>experience. How did you create a thought? Are you claiming this to be a
>conscious process? What was the process you followed? How did you initiate
>the process? How did you control the thoughts? By what process did you
>control the thoughts?
>How did you create a thought?
>Are you claiming this to be a conscious process?
Thoughts are both conscious and unconscious processes. Because the brain is
always matching memory patterns, and since memory is distributed throughout
the brain, and one part of it being echoic memory (where thoughts are
comprehended as language) then obviously you can't have complete control
there. Thoughts will just pop in your head as parts of memory are read and
distributed.
A thought is also stored in memory since self awareness is the recognition
of the pattern that you are making all the decisions. Of course the brain
can read that part of memory and its associations, and be so complex that
there isn't just one course of action, or there are to many associations to
be distributed and processed at the same time. It's like trying to pass 64
bits each via a 4 bit bus between 7 circuits at the same time. Since
different functions of the brain are constantly processing, new information
is constantly needing to be passed to other functions. A particular brain's
function can't possibly hold all its data along with the new information
that it's constantly collecting so it needs a way to decide what information
is passed and what information is forgotten. It would likely do this
through some sort of logic gate.
In my opinion, logic gates are the most complicated parts of the brain.
Logic gates are made up of memory counters and programmed responses. Also,
emotion most likely plays a roll in its make up. Each function of the brain
has logic gates that pass information to other parts of the brain. Also,
brain functions that work together have logic gates connecting other brain
functions that work together. That again could produce an even higher
hierarchy of brain functions controlled via another series of logic gates.
This continues until all functions and emergent functions (two or more
functions combined to create another function) of the brain are connected.
How logic gates work.
Every time a part of memory is referenced it is noted (hence counted). Study
shows that when someone uses a part of memory new connections are made to
it. That does two things. 1)Makes it more likely to be referenced again.
2)Contributes to the decision of what information is passed. Many parts of
the mind (and body) act reflexively. My post "consciousness, self,
awareness...." helps explain why. These connections are what physically
associates memories to other memories. The collection of memories with the
most connections are compared with learned logic (programmed responses).
Learned logic is logic that is taught or programmed in the genes (born
reflexes). As you grew up your mother taught you things -that's not nice,
share, keep clean, love your neighbor, sex is bad, worship God, etc...
And then finally there is the emotional part. I'm still not sure how
emotion fits in but I know that it does, because people do make decisions
based on their emotions. Perhaps the chemicals cause shorts in the
comparisons. Or maybe it speeds up the decision making process so you don't
have the usual amount of comparison time. Or maybe it adds associations
related to the emotion to the decision making process. Or maybe its a
combination of these things. Emotion is not logical and I just don't know
enough about it to make it fit in my model. I do know, however, that it is
part of the decision making process.
>Are you claiming this to be a conscious process?
Because thoughts are distributed throughout the brain between functions
traveling via memory, and since part of that memory is echoic memory (where
you comprehend as language), and because consciousness is the memories
traveling between functions, and because awareness is the recognition of
your thoughts you will be both aware and conscious of thoughts being formed.
See post "consciousness, self, awareness".
How did you control the thoughts?
I'm having a great time writing my ideas down. Something I've never done
before. I'm going to find a snack machine and refuel. I'll be in the
library till eight so I hope I can finish this tonight.
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