I think the source of the quote is Henri
Bergson's book "Matter and Memory":
"That there is a close connexion between
a state of consciousness and the brain we
do not dispute. But there is also a close
connexion between a coat and the nail on
which it hangs, for, if the nail is pulled
out, the coat falls to the ground. Shall
we say, then, that the shape of the nail
gives us the shape of the coat, or in any
way corresponds to it?" (introduction, page xi)
What Henri Bergson (1859-1941) suggests is
that the brain is like the coat hook of the mind.
The coat itself is completely independent from
the nail or the hook, but the coat on the hook is
not possible without the hook, if we take the hook
away, everything breaks down. This is very similar
to the modern idea of supervenience: although it is
independent from it, the mind rests and depends
on the brain, like the coat on the coat hook or
coat-hanger.
The mind can also be there, or it can be absent,
like a coat which can be present or absent on
a coat hook. And the mind takes only a form
or shape which the connections in the brain
allow, like the coat which takes only the form
which the nail, coat hook or coat-hanger
allows. The question of Henri Bergson if
the brain determines the shape of the mind
is especially interesting: if we can answer how
it does it exactly, we have crossed the gap
between Psychology and Physiology (or
Neuroscience).
-J.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Nicholas Thompson" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 06, 2010 9:05 AM
Subject: Re: [FRIAM] The coat hook of the mind
a metaphor is only as good as its heuristic power and i can't see what
this one implies.
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