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nafisam's picture

The largest impact that

The largest impact that this course had for me was day 1, as it set the foundation not only for the rest of the course, but for a new way of thinking. I had never considered that my brain could contain a set of boxes, or that as we go through life we are constantly making a new summary of observations. The knowledge gained from this course has changed my pattern of thinking, in that it has shown me that there may never be a right answer; but that it is perfectly fine to keep revising information in the context of  new informationt that we gain. From day 1 I was a fan of Descartes, who believed that we are composed of our brains, and "something else". I think that is just based on the core beliefs that I have. However Dickinson's model served as a great way to explore the topics of the course, considering that the "something else" that Descartes referred to could not be examined in the classroom. I think that my actual views on the brain and behavior lie somewhere between the two.

 

Three questions I would like to explore further:

1. Are instincts inherently the same among individuals, or does the environment play a significant role?

2. Are there differences in the nervous system between an introverted vs extroverted individual?

3. As humans, are we in control of our actions as much as we think we are, or does the nervous system usually take the lead?

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