brain plasticity: scientist awards (Introduction)

by dhw, Saturday, June 04, 2016, 11:11 (3096 days ago) @ David Turell

DAVID: The latest Kavli awards for advances:-http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/46233/title/2016-Kavli-Prize-Winn... -QUOTE: "Our brains have a remarkable capacity to adapt to changes in the environment, [and yet] our personality and behaviors typically remain fixed as we pass through life.” -David's comment: The bolded comment is the key point. Our personalities develop on a continuum, while the working brain adapts to our needs in functional areas. We 'r us, not what the brain makes us.-I'm not at all sure that our personality and behaviours remain fixed. Experience can change people quite drastically. And of course we all know that drugs and diseases can affect the brain and thereby change both personality and behaviour. But under normal circumstances, I also feel that I am “me” and not what my brain makes “me”, and that “I” use my brain and am not used by it. We have already had several discussions about the problem of identity: just what does this “I/me” consist of? We can see the influences of nature, nurture, heredity, experience, cells etc., but ultimately, I think it boils down to materialism versus dualism. Another endlessly fascinating question, but unless there is an afterlife, I fear we shall never know the answer!