Part I discussion had four main kernels or themes. These were (1) that our brains simulate or model reality, by which is meant they simulate the physical world, (2) per Michio Kaku “Self-awareness is creating a model of the world and simulating the future in which you appear, ” (3) this self awareness and simulation of the external environment is “special” and (4) science along with ancient methods such as the Buddhist tradition could complement each other in helping humans, to be blunt, survive and also perhaps to evolve.
Each of these themes and concepts are essentially incomplete in themselves but are interwoven in an attempt to make some basic assumptions about human beings including who we really are and where we might be going. Since I wrote the last piece I have completed a book by author Robert Wright called Why Buddhism is True. That’s a pretty gutsy title and while I personally agree with most of his statements regarding Buddhism (and that does not mean other religions or philosophies are not “true”) the power of his book (for me) was pointing out how we are programmed by evolution or natural selection to behave in fairly rigid ways (in order to preserve the species). While calling evolution the “creator” (in lower case) Wright stops where science stops, but makes a great case that we as humans have our freedom hampered by the basic need for the physical survival and continuation of the species. The deal is that factors leading to the tremendous “success” of our species from an evolution standpoint are now backfiring in a big way, not just from an environmental perspective but from a mental health perspective as well.
OK, so when ancient organisms bumped into each other and one ate the other, it would have been to the benefit of the eaten one to have had a way to discern friend or foe (or in a more loving environment mate or checkmate). The evolutionary path was to evolve nervous systems for defense and procreation. As Wright notes, that is all evolution cares about. Perhaps harsh, but in many ways true, as we are programmed pretty much for survival and passing along our genes – the rest is an elective!
This is where the sense of self and self-awareness come in. So, we (optimistically), or our brains, create a model of the world in order to optimize survival of self and species and we simulate a future in which we appear. In no way minimizing Kaku’s contributions, we have both foreword projections of the “I” into the future and also past projections of the “I” as memory. From experience and reading, past and future states are pretty much where most of us live unless we are concentrating or focusing on the task at hand (be it work, art, sports, etc). Both of these states (as well as the present) can be quite pleasurable or can be quite hellish. Having opened up Pandora’s Box of pleasure and pain, we can add emotions to the experience we have of the world. Matter of fact, according to Buddhist teachings the entire Universe is made of the five aggregates which are form, feelings (or sensations), perceptions, mental formations and consciousness. These include all thought, the model of the physical world gleaned from our senses and consciousness which melds the object with the subject. Come to think of it, our experience of the world is a rich woven tapestry that in my opinion equates to magic! While the Buddhists contend that the cause of suffering is clinging to the ephemeral “I” within the five aggregates, these are brought up at this time to simply focus back on the sense of self or “I” that science can comment on.
Kaku describes findings that it is the left hemisphere of the brain that engages in the human tendency to find order in chaos and to search for patterns and make “sense” out of them, while it is likely that the medial frontal cortex is the main part of the brain to form a coherent sense of self. He also uses the analogy of sense of self as a CEO of a large corporation. Realistically, various parts of the brain, essentially modular programs from an evolutionary perspective, together drive us as a species to survive and reproduce. The bright side of evolution is that humans are learning machines – and the brain is noted not to be a digital computer, but rather a neural network “of some sort” that constantly rewires itself after learning new tasks.
Suffice to say here that our society certainly encourages the expression of self; and of course life is precious. It’s just when the ego gets out of hand, and through application of negative emotions — from domestic violence to road rage, to genocide and pulling the nuclear trigger, that our over inflated sense of self, overly powered by the cave-man brain, may just may put civilization back into the stone age or completely destroy it.
None of this “process” we asked for or understand very well as a species or individuals. It just is. A few more things before a wrap: Kaku points to findings that from an evolution perspective we may be near the end of the physical limit of intelligence enhancement of the brain via evolution. So artificial intelligence will likely be the next phase. As he states “…from an evolutionary and biological point of view, evolution is no longer selecting more intelligent people, at least not as rapidly as it did thousands of years ago.” I think there are some other possibilities if we “stretch” the concept of evolution – to be discussed at another time.
In future blogs I will talk more about meditation which seems to be fundamental to helping humans dodge acts of harm to self and others. As the current topic focuses on how science (and technology) may save our butts – the future is now. Brain research and resulting applications are and will help cure mental illness and create healthier individuals. Meditation impacts on brain waves can be measured. Meditation is likely to include greater use of devices to induce and track theta and delta waves in the form of meditation headsets, or mind machines. Meanwhile, carry on in the physical world since sometimes a tree is just a tree and cheeseburger tastes good.
Little Known Mystic 