Brain and Behavior Institute, 2002

BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR INSTITUTE 2002

Forum 10- How does discussion of the nervous system affect one's understanding of "reality"?

Name:  Hope M. Glover
Username:  hg7151@aol.com
Subject:  "Reality" and the Brain
Date:  2002-07-17 12:59:28
Message Id:  2238
Comments:
Today's disuccsion was very interesting. The idea that the brain fills in, duplicates, and creates what we view as "reality" simply indicates that there is more to biology that evolution. Something that started the process and that lead to human "intelligence". Do all animals view "reality" in the same way? The answer should be yes, because those animals with all of the necessary optical components should be able to perform the same physical functions. What part does "perception" and "reason" play in this process?

Name:  Aliya
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Forumless
Date:  2002-07-17 13:10:16
Message Id:  2239
Comments:
PG I have not completlt tuned out, however I do believe that some of this is just 2 DEEP 4 my usage. I am getting a lot out of this session and what I feel I have no use for I just tune out. Sitting in a class with u helps me relate to my students better. I c the passion and joy u have when speaking about many science related findings and sometimes I can share your light and sometimes I can't. This has been a journey!

Aliya

Name:  Shellie
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Reality
Date:  2002-07-17 13:12:33
Message Id:  2240
Comments:
Reality--what is it??? Now that we have studied the brain I have a much different view of reality. I see now that there is a different reality for all of us. So much goes into the reality for each individual--our DNA, our life experiences, and how our neurons and brain create the reality .Now I will not be so hard on people when they don't see things like I do--we all have our own reality.

Name:  BOB & RAY
Username:  GANYMEDES@AOL.COM
Subject:  reality
Date:  2002-07-17 13:17:51
Message Id:  2241
Comments:
Reality is what ever my I function says it is! Could we carry on a "normal" life if we truly did not believe our concept of reality? If our brain's reailty is too different from other people's reality, we are called insane yet a so called insane person could have just as valid [but different]reality as so called sane people.
Are there different realities at different stages of life or brain development? What does mean for education?
How much of our reaility is sensory input and how much is determined by us testing our perceptions against the perceptions of other people? Consider the challenge of accompanying your spouse or significant other to a paint store to select a color which will match a swatch of fabric or thread sample from the rug in the room you desire to paint. Not only is there an opportunity to test your sense of reality based on sensory perception but also a test of your relationship's future survival.

Name:  Tunde and Sharon
Username:  Anonymous
Subject:  Reality and the brain
Date:  2002-07-17 13:18:57
Message Id:  2242
Comments:
The way things are going especially with the discussions we have been been having in the institute, one can say there's no absolute reality because what may seem real to you may not be seem real to me. In this sense reality is a function of so many things amongst which are your experience, the your location and the internally generated action potentials in the neurons.

On another hand it is very important to come to the knowledge of the fact that there is an absolute reality based on spiritual explanations.

Presently I'm working on a computer in Bryn Mawr. The room is "perfectly" set up with all the wires, machines, desks, stools, lights and switches in place. The reality is someone put everything in place and made sure they are all working perfectly. The same argument can be put forward for the creation of the Universe etc. It came not by accident but by a perfectly supreme being who must have been there before time and will be there when time is no more. If this is not the case, there will be no standard point of reference for most things that take place in our society today. For example there are laws that we regard as absolute truth. For example when someone commits murder, he or she has to be convcted and punished. If not anyone can do anything and claim since there's no absolute reality no one has the right to punish them.

Name:  Brian & Joan Malin
Username:  malinb1@yahoo.com
Subject:  reality?
Date:  2002-07-17 13:20:22
Message Id:  2243
Comments:
It appears "reality" is what we make of it. Everyone has a somewhat different "reality". The universe is not exactly as we perceive it to be. The brain creates much of what we think is "reality". This makes "reality" much more interesting than it did before.

Name:  Brian & Joan Malin
Username:  malinb1@yahoo.com
Subject:  reality?
Date:  2002-07-17 13:21:26
Message Id:  2244
Comments:
It appears "reality" is what we make of it. Everyone has a somewhat different "reality". The universe is not exactly as we perceive it to be. The brain creates much of what we think is "reality". This makes "reality" much more interesting than it did before.

Name:  Brian & Joan Malin
Username:  malinb1@yahoo.com
Subject:  reality?
Date:  2002-07-17 13:21:37
Message Id:  2245
Comments:
It appears "reality" is what we make of it. Everyone has a somewhat different "reality". The universe is not exactly as we perceive it to be. The brain creates much of what we think is "reality". This makes "reality" much more interesting than it did before.

Name:  Brian & Joan Malin
Username:  malinb1@yahoo.com
Subject:  reality?
Date:  2002-07-17 13:23:14
Message Id:  2246
Comments:
It appears "reality" is what we make of it. Everyone has a somewhat different "reality". The universe is not exactly as we perceive it to be. The brain creates much of what we think is "reality". This makes "reality" much more interesting than it did before.

Name:  M. Boyd
Username:  M.boyd910@aol.com
Subject:  Personal feeling about "reality" as it appears from studying the brain
Date:  2002-07-17 13:24:43
Message Id:  2247
Comments:
When asked the question about reality, a colleague of mine said, "Reality is what you made of life." I thought that was a very abrupt and interesting response. Yet from our studying the brain in class there have been some comfortable/uncomfortable (in my estimation about) about reality. I believe that people have a world-life view about life. Some people believe that we evolve from millions of years ago from ponds or different organisms. Other people believe that we were created by a Supreme Being and Maker. Therefore from this world-life view or "perspective" we view life and reality.
From studying the brain, I do see where light affecting our "lateral
inhibition network" can have a great impact how we see things. A classical illustration that was used in the classroom, was the use of the wall and the variation of photons that were emitted. the question that was asked was" Is the wall real or was it a perspective of the amount of light that it was receiving? To me the wall is real even though I might have to reaffirm its reality through my senses. I say that the wall is real because it has the the qualities of a wall and what the maker intended it to be. However, even though an observer might have problems in establishing the "truth" that it is not a wall; that does not change the fact of the intention of the objective of the builder who built the wall.
From studying the brain, I can say that yes, some things that are perceived to be might not be. For instant, walking through the woods at night and observing foliages on a tree, one would conclude that the leaves are black. However, one must take in consideration that the leaves are seen in light of the light in which it is being observed, which is darkness. This must be taken in serious consideration. Therefore, this conclusion should be tested, retested and revised before we can say it is reality (truth). I believe there is truth and reality. Yes, certain objects might be eskewed by our observation and conclusion, but that does not necessarily say that there is no truth.

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