The Mind and The Brain

Finished reading The Mind and The Brain.  I would highly recommend reading this source information on some the more recent, as in 90's developments in neuroscience.   I found it very readable.  

Its critics might argue that it's getting in to the mushy metaphysical, and it will antagonize the hard-core materialist.  Personally, this material is what I've been trying to get some understanding on for some time now.


I've read so many pop psychologist best sellers in the field of self-development, that basically make claims that seem to work for the story lines and the followers.  Some ideas have appealed to me, but somehow the lack any scientific evidence left me with a personal "pie in the sky, wishful thinking" flavor in my mouth.  I've always been a person to question deeply.  I'm not comfortable trusting the notions of every "best seller".  Too often what sells is not necessarily accurate or factual.  This may well be the case with Schwartz.  I doubt it though.  The book speaks more of evidence than theoretical concepts.

I've tested some of the folk psychology of "mind over matter".  Of course if what you set your mind to is not damaging to others and yourself, will-power seems to have a place in our thinking.  The extreme is creating a self-reality that is outside the bounds of the real world that we live in.  I'm fascinated with neuro-conditioning.

I think I got my interest piqued to read The Mind and The Brain, by a statement in a book called "Brainchildren" by Daniel Dennette.  The chapter title:  "Free Will and Free Won't" got my attention.  Of course Denette is a hard-core materialist.  It was helpful to read Schwartz cover to cover.  A strong argument in favor of "mental force" is substantiated by a wide variety of modern experiments, and across a wide field of disciplines.

I liked the application of plasticity as it relates to Quantum Theory.  Entanglement of possibilities is something so much more than, "I cannot think any differently or I'm in a rut".  Choice.  We just may have more choices that ever conceived.  I don't understand fully the ideas of quantum theory, but I've absolutely fascinated by the research that is emerging in this field.  Quantum Zeno Effect is described in detail in the next to the last chapter titled, "Attention Must Be Paid".

So I'm pondering some of the nagging feelings arising around various habitual neuro-pathways, that I've seemingly been imprinted with over the years.  I just may be able to create a few new ones that may be more helpful than others which I find a bit un-helpful.