Here is where you and I disagree. I think we under rate our individual and collective significance. However I do believe there are major differences with respect to such characteristics as degree of attained integrity. My scale of observation is not infinity but the finite marked by death. I trust and accept myself as my final authority realizing that any other authority apart from me is ultimately a projection of my own final authority.
-----Original Message----- From: Tony Orlow <[email protected]> To: "Minds Eye" <[email protected]> Sent: Sat, Jul 16, 2011 10:19 am Subject: [Mind's Eye] Re: how does our sub-conscious works? I guess, on the subject of maturity, I kind of define it as developing a large enough picture of the world to realize that one is relatively insignificant, and accepting that. An infant is their whole world, dependent on its godlike parents to satisfy its needs. Then we develop understandings of family, community, culture, perhaps country and then world, perhaps including being part of all living things, etc. In an infinite universe, the finite being is next to nothing. That takes a little weight off my shoulders. Whew! ;) Smiles, Tony On Jul 16, 8:28 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > Not so sure it's all that mysterious, folks; we intuitively recognise > maturity when we see it, i think? seems to me just a developing > intelligent "free wont", to reference a parallel thread. > > On Jul 16, 12:50 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Yes. It explains why some older men and women seem to change patterns > > of thinking and behavior.//Yes- I think maturity is a relative term. > > > On Jul 15, 11:54 pm, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> > > wrote: > > > > Besides physical structure of brain and genetic issues, perhaps we > > > should at least mention hormones when it comes to apparent gender > > > differences. Flowing in the blood they are carried throughout the body > > > and can greatly influence > > > behavior.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood-brain_barrier > > > > The subjective nature of the term 'mature' can lead us astray all too > > > easily. > > > > On Jul 15, 3:32 pm, Tony Orlow <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Hi Paradox - > > > > > I don't know which sex you think is more mature. I think each has > > > > their own strengths, and different types of intelligence, and there > > > > ARE structural brain differences. For instance, the corpus callosum, > > > > the largest connection between the two hemispheres, is larger in > > > > women, probably accounting for their more integrated thought > > > > processes. It's easy for a man to ignore all else and obsess about > > > > some question and its answer. It's hard for a woman to ignore reality > > > > and become so focused on some abstract question. Men may be more able > > > > to take decisive action, but if they don't pay attention to their > > > > female's input, they are likely to wander into a well like Socrates > > > > (or was that Aristotle?). Of course, these are gross generalizations, > > > > and there is probably more variation within each sex than between the > > > > two as a whole. > > > > > I have kind of a male mind. Could you tell? ;) > > > > > Peace, > > > > > Tony > > > > > On Jul 15, 2:41 pm, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > I have quite some considerable experience of the emotional > > > > > responsiveness of the fairer sex, rigsy :) Personally, i think the > > > > > gender difference, if there is one, is more emotional maturity and > > > > > honesty than anything "structural. > > > > > > On Jul 15, 12:04 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > Thank you, Tony and Paradox. > > > > > > > Except we can clean up our hard drive! > > > > > > > Maybe I should have said "reactions" rather than moods- esp. since > > > > > > females have the rep of being moody creatures. I'm not sure if it is > > > > > > memory or the sc that is triggered by irrational associations. > > > > > > > On Jul 15, 3:22 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > Not as familiar with the terrain regarding imagination and creativity, > > > > > > > rigsy; but some thoughts; imagination probably employs the same object > > > > > > > representation and manipulation routines as event "simulation", > > > > > > > certainly occupies the same higher order region; the process is just > > > > > > > less well tethered; an analogy that comes to mind is that of the rider > > > > > > > whose handling on the reins becomes more adept the more confident he/ > > > > > > > she becomes, and the more conditioned the horse gets over time. > > > > > > > > Creativity is more difficult to pin down; my intuitive sense is that > > > > > > > it's probably defined in the versatility of transition of isomorphic > > > > > > > brain "states"; so its not so much a "discrete" attribute, but more a > > > > > > > "bell curve" function. > > > > > > > > Difficult to say about unexplained moods; could be the result of > > > > > > > chemical or homeostatic imbalances, tensions, unresolved mental > > > > > > > phenomena, or any of a long list of things really; what do you think? > > > > > > > > On Jul 14, 12:46 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > Yes- that is too technical for me. :-) I see the sc as the hidden > > > > > > > > currents of a river- at least this morning that's my view. > > > > > > > > Where do > > > > > > > > you think imagination and creativity spring from? Or unexplainable > > > > > > > > moods? Or the irrational? Don't be too technical, please. > > > > > > > > > On Jul 14, 3:36 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Interesting psychoanalytic approach; i'm sort of a little closer to > > > > > > > > > the "technical" school; seems to me that dreams and > > > > > > > > > phantasies are > > > > > > > > > pretty much the same "stuff" as conscious thought, but > > > > > > > > > without the > > > > > > > > > coherence, constraints, and "echolocation" of input, cognition, and > > > > > > > > > the autobiographical self; in that sense, we think (neural mapping) > > > > > > > > > pretty much 24/7, conscious, subconscious, or otherwise; it's just so > > > > > > > > > much more elegant when we're conscious, or daydreaming, curiously :). > > > > > > > > > > Re the "great conductor"; in this great cauldron of distributed > > > > > > > > > mapping, something has to "direct" and prioritise attention; that's > > > > > > > > > the job of dispositional affect (value), or emotion, through amygdala, > > > > > > > > > hippocampus, and associated wide area networks. Antonio Damasio has > > > > > > > > > produced some very interesting, very readable and easily accessible > > > > > > > > > works in this area. > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 13, 1:51 pm, rigsy03 <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > The "great conductor" to where? The sc may color our thoughts and > > > > > > > > > > actions but I have a problem giving it a thought process similar to > > > > > > > > > > the ego or super-ego. The fact that we cannot control our > > > > > > > > > > sc makes us > > > > > > > > > > want to control it- it can be dangerous or embarassing or distracting, > > > > > > > > > > for instance. I do think it adds a dramatic complexity to our thoughts > > > > > > > > > > and actions- esp. those "Freudian slips"! :-) Another possibilty is > > > > > > > > > > that the sc is a warehouse for our unresolved selves that pitch and > > > > > > > > > > twist in our minds during dreams or daydreams and sometimes influence > > > > > > > > > > solutions by interrupting logic, problem solving, comprehension or > > > > > > > > > > relationships. It may also serve the purpose of keeping us honest- > > > > > > > > > > somehow the mind has to find a balance- "acting as if" only goes so > > > > > > > > > > far. > > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 13, 5:13 am, paradox <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Hi Mando, dont forget that our thoughts are also "merely things", and > > > > > > > > > > > our sub-conscious also "thinks"; "emotion" is the great conductor. > > > > > > > > > > > > On Jul 12, 2:18 pm, Mando <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > how are we easily swayed from our thought by merely things? is that > > > > > > > > > > > > humans are focused or controlled by the sub-conscious...- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -
