BRAIN SCIENCE-101 CAN HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW TO RESOLVE INTER-RELIGIOUS AND INTER-RACIAL CONFLICTS AS WELL AS HELP MARRIED COUPLES HANDLE CONFLICTS BETTER. “I know that I exist; the question is, what is this I that I know,” asked, Rene Descartes (1596-1650), the seminal thinker and great philosopher-mathematician. Brain scientists approach this explanation differently. A noted neuroscientist of our times Dr. Antonio Damasio says if you want to explain the “I” or the ego state of a person, you need to have some understanding about how the brain functions. Though anyone’s brain is observable to third parties like medical personnel, doctors, brain surgeons, etc., the mind is observable only to its owner, which is you and I. The problem is even the owner of the brain does not fully understand how the brain creates the feeling of “I” and the way it protects that feeling. Damasio says that while the brain thinks, feels and determines our behavior, the process itself takes place in the concentric layers of the “proto-consciousness,” “core consciousness,” “autobiographical consciousness.” The “proto-consciousness” is like the autopilot. It is always working just like the heart is always beating. We have to be conscious before we can think, feel, act and relate. The proto-self does the work of maintaining body’s internal environment. Damasio identifies the brain stem, hypothalamus and basal forebrain as doing this work. The proto-self constantly maps and monitors our internal physiology. Pain and pleasure are immediately monitored by the proto-self. The proto-self detects microscopic problems and makes adjustments as needed, especially when it comes to breathing problems, knee jerks, clearing throat by coughing, yawning or even waking us in middle of night while having scary dreams. The second layer of consciousness in the feeling of “I” is what Damasio calls “core consciousness.” Core consciousness is the generation of the feeling of I, me, mine, and only me and none other. While the proto-self consciousness monitors the internal milieu, the core consciousness monitors the body in relationship to outside environment: nature, climatic conditions, weather conditions, spouse, girlfriend, boyfriend, fellow workers, friends, family, etc. Damasio identifies the cingulate cortex, a blanket of tissue wrapped around the limbic system as the most important anatomical structure in the generation of the feeling of the core-self. The cingulate cortex is linked with emotions. It does not include cognitive functions like reasoning and language. The third concentric layer in the feeling of “I” is what Damasio calls the “extended autobiographical consciousness.” This is the complex layer of the self that includes memories, experiences, people, opinions, and beliefs that have played part in wiring the brain of a specific person in a particular family and cultural environment of language, educational learning, religion and beliefs. Before we know who we are and what our religion is, we need to have the other two layers of consciousness—proto-consciousness and the core consciousness working. According to Damasio the work of our extended autobiographical consciousness is associated with the rest of the cerebral cortex. Core consciousness and autobiographical consciousness prompt me to know that I am Charles but not Prince Charles of England. I am that Charles who was born in India, raised in the Mark family, was educated in seminaries and theological schools and presently living in the United States of America. The core consciousness and the autobiographical consciousness let us know that we are Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, atheists and secularists. If our core consciousness and autobiographical consciousness are not working and only the proto-consciousness or basic functions are working, we would not be able to assert our individuality and our religious beliefs. We would not know if that we are Jews, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, black, brown and yellow. In spite of this knowledge and understanding, scientists tell us that what makes you You and what makes me Me may remain a mystery forever. This is explained in my book in the chapter, Brain and Spirit: The Marriage of Sense and Soul. spiritualityplusintelligence
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 01:35:08 +0000
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