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redmink's picture

Willful Action

Although we were first exposed to our new vocabulary, “I-function,” I think we have earlier thought about it or even have known of this before. Integrating what we know with our observations made in class is not so easy.   Since we have agreed on our newly made observation in which our brain is different because our neurons are arranged in different ways, I think I can integrate it with the “I-function” being different among others based on different pattern of neurons, individual’s different value/belief carved in one’s neuron, and different degree/pattern of self-actualization. 

 I think “I-function” is similar to self-actualization in psychology.  Self-actualization implies the attainment of the basic needs of physiological, security, love/belongingness, and self-esteem.  Human by nature has a desire to fulfill these elements. For example, if someone likes music, s/he would have more I-function to initiate playing the piano.

Also, we have social expectation that we need to follow.  The behaviors caused by “I-function” are sometimes trivial like deciding to wait at the yellow traffic light while driving a car.  But, because the person has a predispositioned value or belief (on safety and responsibility required for his family or his own motto), he has acted in certain way in his life.  And I think his pattern of action based on his values/belief has been recorded in his neurons (like saving a favorite website address so that you don’t need to type it out next time), which ultimately help perform“I-function,” in his own way. 

Since we have these motivations (desire of self-actualization and social expectation, etc), our neurons arranged differently depending on individual would cause “I-function” in different ways resulting in different behaviors, and different internal experiences such as the initiation of willful action. 

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