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The interesting thing about this class in hindsight was that it was really focused on giving us a theoretical framework more than about neuroanatomy itself. Much of what went on in the class seemed to be done just to get us in right frame of mind to think about neuroscience and reality. I regret that we didn't go into the actual neuroanatomy more, as that is what I took this class for. But I can't complain. It was very different from other core neurobiology classes and the thing that makes it distinct is that we broadened the field and discussed how these issues affect us on a more personal level. Reading a neurobiology textbook is quite a different experience from talking about perception and reality as a group.

The story that everything we experience is a function of the nervous system is a good one. Even though we all take it for granted, it seems fairly obvious. Our nervous system is the only connection we have to the outside world, so it follows that any idiosyncrasies in the system would result in different interpretations. However, what I find most interesting is that our views of reality are so similar. I know that our views are rather different on one level, but we still agree on so much. Given the vast number of possible configurations of the brain, I'm surprised that we don't disagree more. But who knows. Maybe we do and we just don't realize it.