Thought
Thought is the operation of the brain in conscious activity. It may or may not be goal-directed, aimed at solving specific problems. It is not the only way brains operate. Behaviour may occur as a result of instinct, and the adaptive unconscious may solve problems without a person being aware.
Other animals can use their brains to solve problems, but there is no way of telling whether they do so consciously. Thought is investigated by four or five academic disciplines, each in its own way. The disciplines include psychology, philosophy, biology, physiology, psychoanalysis and sociology.
Philosophy[edit | edit source]
Philosophy of mind is a branch of philosophy that studies the nature of the mind, mental events, functions, properties, and consciousness. The mind-body problem, i.e. the relationship of the mind to the body, especially the brain, is a central issue in philosophy of mind.[1]
The mind-body problem[edit | edit source]
The mind-body problem has to do with the explanation of the relationship that exists between minds, or mental processes, and bodily states or processes.[1] The main aim of philosophers working in this area is to determine the nature of the mind and mental states/processes, and how—or even if—minds are affected by and can affect the body.
Our perceptual experiences depend on stimuli which arrive at our various sensory organs from the external world and these stimuli cause changes in our mental states, ultimately causing us to feel a sensation, which may be pleasant or unpleasant. Someone's desire for a hat, for example, will tend to cause that person to move his or her body in a specific manner and in a specific direction to obtain what he or she wants. The question, then, is how it can be possible for conscious experiences to arise out of a lump of gray matter endowed with nothing but electrochemical properties. A related problem is to explain how someone's beliefs and desires can cause that individual's neurons to fire and his muscles to contract in exactly the correct manner. These comprise some of the puzzles that have confronted epistemologists and philosophers of mind from at least the time of René Descartes.[2]
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Eric Baum 2004. What is thought? Chapter 2: The mind is a computer program. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-02548-5
- Corballis, Michael C. "The uniqueness of human recursive thinking" (PDF). American Scientist (May-June 2007). Retrieved 2007-04-23.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1
- ↑ Kim, Jaegwon 2009. Companion to Metaphysics. 2nd ed, Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN 1-4051-5298-2
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
