Reply to comment

In the choosing of sides, I was a fence sitter (or an other) for some of the same reasons as listed above.  I am a scientific person and I do understand that the brain is largely responsible for our behavior and our personality.  I do understand that neurotransmitter and electric signals are responsible for our behavior, and yes I do believe this.  Yet there is something that bothers me about this.  Perhaps Savage Garden summarizes it best for me in their lyrics: 

 “Love and other moments
are just chemical reactions in your brain
And feelings of aggression
are the absence of the love drug in your veins
in your veins
Love come quickly
Because I feel my self esteem is caving in
It's on the brink”(Gunning Down Romance) 

For me breaking down love into neurotransmitters is just too much for me, I feel like there has to be something else.  In fact I am glad to see that there are other people who feel this way too.  In light of all the scientific data and testing how come I cannot let go?  Maybe it’s a feeling of control and, let’s replaces self esteem in the lyrics to self image or control.  If everything is controlled by rapidly firing chemicals in our brains than who are we?   Are we all just different proportions of these chemicals that determine our personalities?  Maybe I simply cannot except the Emily Dickenson view because it would cause me to change my complete image of who I think I am (or lack there of?) and have to give all control over to my neurons. 

If this is true if we are all just neurons and neurotransmitters what does this say about our actions?  Can we be held responsible?  I know we often look to these chemical imbalances to fix things such as depression and anxiety.  I am okay with seeing these things as controlled by chemicals but, how come I want to be in control of love or happiness?  I just cannot seem to decided, I feel like there must be something other than the brain.  For now I am still on the fence (although pretty uncomfortable sounding) it is comfortable for me now and I look forward to making new observation and summaries so that I can explore this issue for myself, not just because a text book says so.