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Leah Bonnell's picture

More on thought

When people talk about thinking they often use the term "neurons firing," but given what we're learnt in class I'm not sure how thought process connects to neurons. Do thoughts develop in some type of complex interconnected chain like neurons? Do thoughts have some type of material substance in the brain? When I think that brain= behavior I imagine that thoughts must made out of some material substance. But from what? I can't imagine that neurotransmitters are responsible for the complexity and breadth of human thought, but at the same time I feel like the complexity of neuron architecture may be involved. When patients are given tasks, different areas of the brain will light up according to what they are doing. So maybe thinking involves different parts of the brain, like the frontal lobe and temporal lobe, interacting with each other. I looked this up online and it seems like it may be true. I came across a study that argued that creative thought comes from areas of the brain connecting that normally would not connect. I think this makes sense, especially given what I've learnt about neuron architecture and individuality. Differences in neuron architecture would allow areas of the brain to connect in unique ways, allowing for individuality and creative thought.

 

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