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Pleiades's picture

behavior=brain

I think for brain=behavior to not be wrong (not that its true, per say), the equation must be reversible. Thus, I would like to bring up the idea that behavior=brain. At least to some level. Russel Fernard points out that evolution is a physical change in the brain and sensory systems that changes in behavior has brought about. If humans can said to be the most advanced species, but we can see that other, closely related animals such as apes show similar behaviors we feel are intrinsic to humans (love, sophisticated reasoning, etc) then Fernard is correct and behavior controls the brain. Behaviors get more refined as evolution of a species progresses, and the brain must evolve as well to keep up. A more short-term example was found by researchers at MIT. The response pattern of neurons in mice drastically changed after they learn how to find a reward in a maze. That is what learning is, a change in the brain. So then, perhaps brain does solely control behavior. But if we look back at evolution, we are the only species (I believe) that has created, or conceived of, or shown the ability to believe in a god (this last bit is important, because even if god does not exist, we still have the capacity to believe he does, which no other species does). It seems that somehow this must put the god factor back in the equation, though Iím not sure how. Any thoughts??

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