The human brain

[Cameron]

One thing I have heard from time to time in my life is how humans use only a small percentage of there brains. I think some people say it is very,very low. Something like 5% or something.

 

My sense is studying with Sifu Max and practicing Kunlun might be getting on track to using the rest of the brain. I know just from the little I have experienced in the last couple months there seems to be more connecting with the deeper reptilian brain.

 

This would be something the scientists on the board could look at to motivate them. Whether your motivation to practice is for enlightenment or to start to get on track to using your whole brain(and all the levels that that implies) it still get's buts in chairs to practice.

 

Idiots who lack wisdom say things like you should go to Thailand and have as much sex as possible(a pretty wierd thing to begin with when there are so many beautiful American girls) but that is niether hear nor there.

[Jakara]

We do infact use all of our brains, although some people's actions give us reason to dispute that :-)

 

The whole "We only use a certain percentage of our brains" is an old myth.

 

Perhaps the increase in awareness and deeper level of understanding could come from the hugely increased efficiency of your concious mind from meditation practice?

Edited December 7, 2007 by Jakara

[joeblast]

Personally I think its a mix - you probably engage a decent percentage of brain cells - but is it even remotely close to its capacity, as far as activity per given region?

[Christoph]

it is a myth with a nugget of truth...we only use a small percentage of our brain...at one time

Edited December 7, 2007 by Christoph

[sheng zhen]

Personally I think its a mix - you probably engage a decent percentage of brain cells - but is it even remotely close to its capacity, as far as activity per given region?

Yea, it might be a mix.

 

Ive heard that in recent brain research they have seen that the brain knows the correct ansver, even if the research subject dosent. They have seen that a certain part of the brain activates when the correct answer is found to any task. And they see that this part of the brain lights up even if the subjects dosent know the answer. Please dont ask me about the details of this research...Ive only heard about it.

 

So maby it depends on how much we are aware of what we actually know? The human body is amazing. It has a natural intelligence that goes beyond anything our subjective consciousness can imagine. And the brain is probably the most amazing part of the body.

[freeform]

I'm sorry but there is no proof or any kind of verifiable way of testing what percentage of the brain we use or not...

 

besides that, there is the problem of defining 'use'. I only 'use' my hand and wrist to operate this mouse (3% of the body as a very rough estimate) - but if I didnt have most of the rest of my body those 3% would be useless...

 

anyway, I dont want to start sounding like xeno lol.

 

I think the sentiment of using this as a way of motivating yourself is a kind one, Cam.

[joeblast]

EEGs provide some measure of feedback, but they lack in that surface readings rarely show what is going on deep within the brain - and its just a tad invasive to get measurement there, at least with an eeg.

[Jakara]

Yes so there was a guy who was clinically blind. His eyes were fine but that part of the brain that let him see the images was damaged. He couldnt see anything at all, but if you held a coloured book in front of him he could guess which colour it was every time correctly. So his brain was registering events, but he wasn't aware of it.

 

I think the person knowing the correct answers to questions is true, but only if they know the answer without knowing that they know the answer (if that makes sense?!). You could pick up information without it registering in your concious mind and be able to give the answer without knowing you new it. Bit like subliminal messaging, you aren't aware of the influence, but you are being influenced.

 

We need only look at animals to see that a smaller brain size makes us less "intelligent", its a direct relation. We do use all of our brains. Infact when one part become useless another can take over. The visual cortex that is used for sight is not needed by the blind, so it takes up the function of the other senses. Studies showed that the blind are able to use brail much more efficiently than those with full sight for this reason.

[freeform]

Yes so there was a guy who was clinically blind. His eyes were fine but that part of the brain that let him see the images was damaged. He couldnt see anything at all, but if you held a coloured book in front of him he could guess which colour it was every time correctly. So his brain was registering events, but he wasn't aware of it.

 

I think the person knowing the correct answers to questions is true, but only if they know the answer without knowing that they know the answer (if that makes sense?!). You could pick up information without it registering in your concious mind and be able to give the answer without knowing you new it. Bit like subliminal messaging, you aren't aware of the influence, but you are being influenced.

 

We need only look at animals to see that a smaller brain size makes us less "intelligent", its a direct relation. We do use all of our brains. Infact when one part become useless another can take over. The visual cortex that is used for sight is not needed by the blind, so it takes up the function of the other senses. Studies showed that the blind are able to use brail much more efficiently than those with full sight for this reason.

 

 

I'll try and look it up, because I came accross this case many years ago, but there was a lady born with 80% of her brain matter missing - this wasn't diagnosed untill her 40's - she also had a significantly higher IQ than her husband.

 

I think the brain is kind of holographic...

 

slugs can do this cool thing: one slug can learn how to navigate a certain maze after extensive 'learning' - the slug is then killed and its body is fed to other slugs who can then navigate the same maze without the 'learning'...

 

not sure what my point is...