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I totally agree with you Margaux. I cannot grasp the idea of our nervous system being able to produce an output without an input. I would like to add though; maybe we should revise our model of the nervous system that would specify inputs as ones that we as human could detect. Then again would unconscious inputs and out puts be included in this new revised model/theory of our nervous system? If no, then we have a problem again. Of course this is all under the assumption that for outputs to occur there needs to be a reason. If we seperate the two words "reason" and "input" maybe then we could better grasp an understand of the ability of the nervous system to create outputs on its own. Most observations of outputs have cause/reason coinciding with inputs, when the NS produces an output on its own there is no input but there must still be a cause/reason...its just from within. Atleast I think...

The experiment on the leech and its nervous system at first had me stumped! The first thing that came to my mind is that there needs to be some kind of control mechanism to the nervous system. Otherwise, we could be twitching whenever the NS felt like it. Now I feel like the nervous system has a mind of its own. Hey! maybe its the mind that controls the nervous system! ....or not? Who knows? Perhaps a spirit/soul/mind whatever you want to call it is controlling the nervous system so it seems that outputs can occur with no inputs. Although, I am a big skeptic about the idea of a mind...