Relationship between the mind and the brain

Relationship amongst the mental capacity and the read/write headFor centuries, philosophers and scientist convey been nerve-wracking to solve the problem of the mental capacityiac-body (brain). The most prolific of the mentalitys has wandered sleeplessly, trying to solve the judgment-brain problem, yet, the mysteries ass our skulls remain hidden. This paper is an attempt to address the causality problem of the mind and the brain. Firstly, an overview over the philosophical theories lead be d nonpareil. Subsequently, evaluation of reli competent scientific findings which whitethorn hold the answer will be carried out. Finally, the essay will end with a conclusion about these findings.Part of the problem is whether one, (the mind or the brain), could plausible exist given the existence of the other. If this is the case, how are they associated? Does a relationship exist or are they two distinct realms. umpteen philosophers and scientists have made an attempt to explain and resolve the mind-brain problem. Two major philosophical theories have been proposed as a solution dualism and monism. Followers of the Manichaean theory argue that on that point are two fundamental entities mind and brain. The mind and the brain functions separately, without interchange. Conversely, monistic advocates, instead, argue that there is only one reality and the mind and the brain are formed from, or reducible to, the very(prenominal) ultimate substance or principle of be. The former, however, is hard to misrepresent and/or condescend scientifically and therefore is non popular amongst scientists and psychologists (Valentine, 1992). However, in recent years, a third explanation, pluralism, has emerged. Pluralism is a mix of both monism and dualism. It argues that there is one fundamental reality but it may display distinct aspect of the reality.In regularise to evaluate whether a relationship exists between the mind and the brain in the first stupefy, we nee d to know if what the mind is. One explanation of the idea of mind is (1) conscious experience and (2) the organisation or caterpillar tread of instruction that governs doings (Valentine, 1992, pp. 21). For the simplicity, we will consider cognisance as the definition of the mind. However, we need to first explain what intellect is. In psychology, thought is defined as our relative awareness of ourselves and our environments. Additionally, it is subjective for an individual, has change able volume and we have a sense of ourselves and our ken (Passer Smith, 2007). Consciousness has been studied victimization modern tools such as fMRI or PET. These studies have showed energizing in several brain areas for a stimulus that is normally associated with a certain brain area (Dehaene Naccache 2001 Haier et al., 1992). Global workspace theory suggests that the otherwise separatist brain divisions functions as network enabled by the consciousness (Baars, 2002 Baars, 1997). Addit ionally, observational studies have indicated that certain brain injuries (blindsight, visual agnosia) have resulted in the loss of aspects of consciousness (Goodale, 2000 Kentridge et al., 2004 Weiskrantz, 2002). If we then assume that the mind is conscious experience, does the mind control the brain or is the mind a result of neural activity? Libet, Gleason, Wright and os (1983) found that neural activity precedes conscious experience of indenting to act (the supposed readiness voltage, RP). In a replication of this study by wasted and Eimer (1999), awareness of movement followed a later module of the RP, the lateralized readiness potential (LRP). LRP represents the neural activity over the motor pallium in the cerebral hemisphere that controls the opposite side of the body. cadaveric and Eimer (1999) suggested that awareness of movement may purloin from neural processes linked to the selection of an action to follow a certain goal. Additionally, graphic symbol of the media l frontal cortex has been identifies as being liable for intentional actions. Conversely, Haggard Libet (2001) note that the delay of conscious experience to the existent experience itself may be due to the P-centre phenomenon (Morton et al., 1976 c.f. Haggard Libet, 2001)., which originally refers to that the perceived onset of a acoustic words delays its actual onset, and seems to be wasted by the centre of the word. It is argued that this can be equally applied to internal pull d have gotts as intentions might also be extended in time. Haggard Libet (2001, pp. 7), argue that the earliest stages of that process could peradventure precede the LRP onset. However, new findings on cellular memory may oppose the notion consciousness being located only in the brain. A Japanese research company showed that an amoeba learned the patterns of a series of shocks at regular intervals and hence changed its behaviour in anticipation of the next one to come. Remarkably, the memory sta yed for hours, even then the shocks stopped. A single renewed shock after a silent period left the plasmodia expecting some other to follow in the same rhythm it learned earlier (Saigusa, Tero, Nakagaki Kuramoto, 2008). Additionally, these amoebas could also negotiate mazes and solve artless puzzles (Nakagaki, Yamada, Tth, 2000). The implications of these studies could go so far that it could be argued that consciousness may arise from around cellular or sub-cellular level of organization preferably than nerve circuitry. There have been cases where organ receivers have unexplainably inherited traits which were not there prior to the transplantations. Although these cases are arbitrary and vague and there may be several other plausible explanations, the stories are interesting and may lead to some serious scientific investigation at some point in the future.On the other hand, conscious experience completely can not account for the mind as a mass of our behaviour also occur unc onsciously. Jaynes (1986) listed several things such as, size, brightness, etc. that is continue by our nervous system under widely varying environmental changes of light, distance etc. Additionally, consciousness is not necessary for learning. Conditioning, for example, is often subtly induced by some stimuli without our awareness. In fact, being conscious during learn hinders the effect of it once we are aware of the eventuality (Razran, 1971 c.f. Jaynes, 1986). If we, instead, discuss the concept of mind in terms of a system or program that governs behaviour (Valentine, 1993, chapter 3, pp. 20), the mind can be attributed a totally unalike role. It is established that the frontal lobes has a major role in our personality. The anterior cortex has a superior role in the neuropsychological system. It has feeler to a vast amount of information that is stored and is processing in the brain. Additionally, it is able to directly and indirectly control activation of the cerebral res ources. In particular, the dorsolateral region of the anterior cortex has been identified as being responsible for coordination, psychological control and executive functions. The motor and sensory network is closely weaved unneurotic with the area, which enables it to have full access to information about the condition of the own body and the surrounding world as well as having the prospect to integrate with the environment. It has also a close relationship to the orbital cortex, which is associated with our thoughts, decision-making and behaviour influenced by emotional and social values of situations as it has a richly number of interconnections with the limbic system. Damage to the dorsolateral region is characterized by loss of the big businessman to take initiative, psychological independence and integrity. The patient becomes passive, impulsive and aimless. She is not able to mobilize and orient attention or thoughts in an organized manner. However, as prefrontal cortex is highly complicated, it has been difficult to closely investigate but what sort of psychological work that bark area executes, which has made this part of the brain a riddle to be solved (Eriksson, 2001). Considering these facts and the fact that the dorsolateral cortex is highly situated in the hierarchy of the brain, it could be argued that the area is the place where the mind resides. In this sense, the mind is an extension and the superior of the brain. Evolutionary speaking, this would set sense. According to Paul MacLean, three distinct brains emerged successively in the course of evolution and co-inhabit the human skull. These are, in evolutionary-time order, reptile brain, limbic brain and the neo-cortex (Holden, 1979). These three parts do not operate independently of one another rather, they have established numerous interconnections through which they influence another (Passer Smith, 2007). In a similar way, the mind might somehow evolved in mate with the neo-corte x. Nevertheless, in brain surgeries on monkeys showed bluntness in all of aspects of their emotion. Myers (c.f. Eriksson, 2001) state the animals loss of noises, facial expressions and, general, all forms of communication. The animal, generally, suffers from hyperactivity, mutism and behaves like an automat. However, the idea that the prefrontal cortex is the seat of the mind lacks any real scientific support or research as it would be very difficult to get a line how it is possible as the mind is a non-physical substance. Yet, future minds, with the assistance of perhaps new and more advanced technology may find a way to tackle this issue.In sum, we have first used consciousness as the definition of the mind and tried to address the relationship of consciousness to the brain. Scientific evidence has supported the notion of brain activity do consciousness. However, these studies have had some methodological issues which need to be dealt with. Additionally, we have established tha t consciousness alone may not account for the mind as many of our processes also occur outside awareness. Instead, we have identified the prefrontal cortex as the seat of the mind. However, this is hard to prove and explain at present time. In conclusion, the sort of a problem the mind and brain is makes it difficult to construe and study scientifically as it is hard to mete out decent experiments on. For now, science needs to mature further in order to answer whether a relationship exists between the mind and the brain on with the direction of the relationship.