Mind and Brain - 14 top questions

If we are ever to understand the mind-brain relationship, it is important to ask the right questions. If we are to model the workings up there in the head, it is important to create a model of those workings. Only in that manner can we suggest tests toward validity and reliability. If we deny functionality of the mind-brain operations, there becomes a muddle most difficult to fathom. Therefore, assuming functionality, upon which nature seems to operate in most venues, we note for the mind and brain the following capacities: recognizing, learning, remembering, abstracting, rejecting, and focusing. There are more, but these are most important for a first go. There is yet another aspect of the mind-brain, that of spiritualism. From the atheist to the most devout believer, most all persons consider themselves to be “spiritual,” that is having a capacity beyond the mere biological firing of neurons and the like.

Of course, there is the perennial nagging issue of consciousness, like what on earth is it? Many have attempted to locate this most interesting aspect of humans. It has eluded all. For the time being, we will simply assume it to be an artifact of the massive complexity of mind-brain interactions. Self-organization of complex systems is at once obvious to those having studied such systems, but elusive in that there is seemingly no “locale” where it resides. Another most important issue is scale. There have been conjectures involving consciousness (and mind-brain operations) spanning the quantum, molecular, cellular, and even mechanical scales of description, together with the electromagnetic and chemical scales of physical processes. Therefore, the questions below must be classified as to scale. That said, and noting the difficulty of just this, it may never be possible to determine a working model of mind and brain that spans all such scales.

There is every reason to believe the mind-brain constitutes a combined cooperative-competitive system. Competitive, yes, because of the main brain processes each desiring limited resources. Cooperative, yes, because the brain processes must be harnessed in such a way to accomplish tasks, from the most primitive to complex.

Our first attempt will be to set some questions, upon which the constructed model might encompass. Difficult though they are, any model must address them - eventually.

How does the mind focus on tasks and how does it remain focused on them?
How does the mind allocate brain resources to accomplish tasks.
How does the brain processes limit or allocate resources to its various subsystems?
How can we measure the various capacities of brain subsystems
What is the latency of excited brain systems before returning to their natural state?
How to measure the intensity of brain systems and how the mind can excite them.
How does the mind abstract events to apply its learning from a specific to future events?
How does the mind form expectations or anticipation of future events?
How does the mind or brain distinguish conflicting stimuli, rejecting the one and focusing upon the other? Put another way, how do we selectively attend to events that particularly interest us?
Which of the brain parameters are under objective control by the mind – or brain?
How does the brain recall information? Alternatively, how does the brain organize information?
What is consciousness?
Will there ever evolve a model of the mind-brain that will permit one key point of valid scientific theories – predictability?
How can we account for a spiritual experience?

Behavioral Science and Problem-Solving

I. I. Introduction. Concerning our general behavior, it’s high about time we all had some understanding of how we operate on ourselves, and it is just as important how we are operated on by others. This is the wheelhouse of behavioral sciences. It is a vast subject. It touches our lives constantly. It’s influence is pervasive and can be so subtle we never notice it. Behavioral sciences profoundly affect our ability and success at problem-solving, from the elementary level to highly complex wicked problems. This is discussed in Section IV. We begin with the basics of behavioral sciences, Section II, and then through the lens of multiple categories and examples, Section III. II. ...

The Lemming Instinct

In certain vital domains, a pervasive mediocrity among practitioners can stifle genuine advancement. When the intellectual output of a field is predominantly average, it inevitably produces research of corresponding quality. Nevertheless, some of these ideas, by sheer chance or perhaps through effective dissemination, will inevitably gain traction. A significant number of scholars and researchers will gravitate towards these trends, contributing to and propagating further work along these established lines. Such a trajectory allows an initially flawed concept to ascend to the status of mainstream orthodoxy. However, over an extended period, these prevailing ideas invariably fail to withstand rigorous scrutiny; they are ultimately and conclusively disproven. The disheartening pattern then reveals itself: rather than genuine progress, an equally unvalidated or incorrect idea often supplants the discredited one, swiftly establishing its own dominance. This cycle perpetuates, ensurin...

Principles of Insufficiency and Sufficiency

The principles we use but don't know it. 1. Introduction . Every field, scientific or otherwise, rests on foundational principles—think buoyancy, behavior, or democracy. Here, we explore a unique subset: principles modified by "insufficiency" and "sufficiency." While you may never have heard of them, you use them often. These terms frame principles that blend theory, practicality, and aspiration, by offering distinct perspectives. Insufficiency often implies inaction unless justified, while sufficiency suggests something exists or must be done. We’ll examine key examples and introduce a new principle with potential significance. As a principle of principles of these is that something or some action is not done enough while others may be done too much. The first six (§2-6) of our principles are in the literature, and you can easily search them online. The others are relatively new, but fit the concepts in the real world. At times, these pri...

First Blog

Search This Blog