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I found our discussion on Thursday of behavior as a loop of inputs and outputs quite interesting. I haven't spent much time examining the roots of behavior prior to this course, so I've always sort of assumed that our behavior is a reaction to either external inputs or inputs from the nervous system. However, I suppose that it is very clear that the mind is not so simple- an article I came across researching for my web paper (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/health/views/16mind.html?_r=1&fta=y) reminded me of this discussion. The article discusses the way that depression is perceived- many believe that it is an over diagnosed condition and that often people who are diagnosed with depression are simply suffering from "normal sadness" as a reaction to traumatic or difficult life events.  However the author points out that external circumstances    can often effect the way that the brain functions: 

"Most of us can point to recent losses and disappointments in our lives, but it is not always clear that they are causally related to our becoming depressed. For example, a patient who had a stroke a month ago may appear tearful, lethargic and depressed. To critics, the so-called depression is just “normal sadness” in reaction to a terrible psychological blow. But strokes are also known to disrupt chemical pathways in the brain that directly affect mood." 

This sort of supports a more jumbled, loopy view of the way that external and internal stimuli can effect behavior, but at the same time is completely overwhelming, I suppose that while I know my previous perception of behavior is wrong, it's much easier to handle when one sees it as cut and dry.