Posted by Gunnar on October 12, 1999 at 06:03:08:
In Reply to: Mind over Matter posted by Dr. Chaos on October 10, 1999 at 00:14:11:
: I know this is a strange question to ask, but can't resist. I know from pyschology class, that normally humans use a mere 10% of their brains; leaving the other 90% unused. I'm interested to know what everyone thinks might happen, if we were able to unlock the other 90% and use it. I'm also curious to know, since Scientific Pantheism focuses a lot on Science, if anyone knows if psychologists or biologists have any idea of how to do so?
: I'm also curious to know, how it would affect Scientific Pantheism if it were possible. I'm open to just about any revelant and constructive comments or opinions.
It is probably true that few of us come close to achieving our full potential (I'm sure I haven't),
but this is not the same thing as saying we only use 10% of our brains. One source I read long ago said that that myth arose from a statement by some brain physiologist that only 10% or so of our brain consists of gray matter, the neurons that are responsible for cognitive thought and memory and in which our consciousness and personality reside. This part of what he said got repeated in the media, and some jumped to the conclusion that what the other 90% of the brain was a complete mystery to science. If they had picked up on the rest of what he said, they would have realized that this other 90% percent or so of the brain is what brain physiologists understand the best. Some 85% to 90% of the brain's mass (if I remember correctly) consists of support structures such connective tissue that holds the brain in place and cushions it from shocks, blood and lymph vessels that carry nutrients to the brain and carry away metabolic wastes, and nerves that serve mainly as communication lines between the various parts of the brain and between it and the rest of the body. My guess is that the idea that most of the brain's function was unknown to us appealed to many people's sense of mystery and awe, which helped to popularize and perpetuate the original misunderstanding. This is not to say that anyone fully understands our brains and how they work. I'm sure that isn't the case, and that there may be some things about our brain that we will never fully understand, but science has certainly knows a lot more about it than the above myth implies, and is continually learning more.
Gunnar