The common belief is that our life is governed by conscious thinking and intellect. Nevertheless, the mental operation is highly influenced by the environment. For example, subliminal stimuli affect the frontal cortex in some cases for a long time, even without conscious awareness. Processing of emotional stimuli occurs automatically, irrespective of the focus of attention.
In 1983, Benjamin Libet questioned free will's existence by showing an unconscious brain activity before deliberate actions. A flood of shocking and even unnerving reports from leading laboratories demonstrates that conscious free decisions are preceded by measurable unconscious neural activity. Since perception automatically connects action outcomes to self-agency, free-will belief is reinforced whether the action occurs due to conscious or unconscious stimuli.
Because conscious decisions take longer, intuitive decisions are crucial in our fast-paced lives. The overwhelming majority of our actions occur intuitively, in a fraction of a second. Conscious focus also tires quickly, while the subconscious mind operates long-term and remains stable despite environmental changes. Therefore, we must consider that our subconscious mind working behind (sometimes against) conscious awareness, determines the course of our lives.
According to traditional understanding, the working brain generates brain frequencies. The book, The Science of Consciousness, suggests the opposite possibility that shifts of brain frequencies are the modus operandus of the mind. Only simple brain activity is present during deep sleep, specific drug actions, and coma. Consciousness requires complex mental activity made possible by long-range cortical connections. Shifts in the brain's energy balances, which give rise to emotions, primarily activate long-distance synapses.
It is hard to fully appreciate the extent of motivation in our lives. Parasites exploit their host and can fully manipulate host behavior to support their lifecycle. For example, Toxoplasma gondii infection will spur a feline attraction in rodents, which, assuredly deadly for the rodent, helps complete the parasite's lifecycle in the cat. The fact that simple animals, such as rats, can be directed by implanted electrodes seems natural for neural biology. Although clearly enslaved by their emotional dependence, addicts and other substance abusers claim to be entirely in control of their lives. Logical decisions narrow focus and degrade free will. We only have free will when we are open, satisfied, and happy and have no incentive to change. However, because conflict narrows attention, free will is lost. We might play the leading role in our lives, but the play is written and directed by the universe. A complete cinematic spectacle gives the illusion that we are in control.
Picture credit: Chess-king by David Lapetina
Sign up for my mailing list to never miss a post.
Was this article helpful? Voice your opinion below.
|
Was this article helpful? Voice your opinion below.
