quarky
10th December 2007, 06:53 PM
In an attempt to empathize with both of my neighbors, one woo; one anti-woo,
I am pondering this:
Could it be that woo is helpful in maintaining a healthy network of neurons for the demands of logic and reason?
We default towards dreams at night; often illogical.
We suspend our logic when observing various entertaining distractions.
It seems that our brains must require occasional escapes from the nuts and bolts circuits of everyday survival activity.
Woo may be the precursor to the technological fantasies that we now take for granted. Modern atheists may well spend more time focused on something absurd (a video game; a celebrity; a fantasy movie)) than our distant ancestors were able to spend on believing in their various gods.
Is it possible that our brains need frequent shifts of intent to avoid digging ruts in our prime neural networks?
Is it possible that focusing admiration for Jesus serves pretty much the same purpose as worshipping a pop-star or a football hero? That our brains require frequent breaks from our reasonable thought procesess, in a physiological way?
My background is nerd. Pocket protector. Chemistry.
I'd rather understand stuff than hope it goes away.
Being as my woo neighbor is a fine person, my empathy has shown me this:
By the time one is ready to accept a homeopathic cure, one has a problem.
Taking the pills is a gesture of "getting out of a rut".
This woo works for some because it affects the normal brain circuits.
It serves as a distraction to patterns that have developed in the brain.
It's not so much that they take this stupid pill...its all about the other stuff:
The decision to be better; the un-intended and un-ackknowledged side effects. One takes longer walks; smokes less nicotine; gets slightly distracted from the hard logic of reality.
Religion may well die because we now have more effective ways to suspend reality.
all thoughts on this appreciated, especially if there's any neurologists in the crowd.
I am pondering this:
Could it be that woo is helpful in maintaining a healthy network of neurons for the demands of logic and reason?
We default towards dreams at night; often illogical.
We suspend our logic when observing various entertaining distractions.
It seems that our brains must require occasional escapes from the nuts and bolts circuits of everyday survival activity.
Woo may be the precursor to the technological fantasies that we now take for granted. Modern atheists may well spend more time focused on something absurd (a video game; a celebrity; a fantasy movie)) than our distant ancestors were able to spend on believing in their various gods.
Is it possible that our brains need frequent shifts of intent to avoid digging ruts in our prime neural networks?
Is it possible that focusing admiration for Jesus serves pretty much the same purpose as worshipping a pop-star or a football hero? That our brains require frequent breaks from our reasonable thought procesess, in a physiological way?
My background is nerd. Pocket protector. Chemistry.
I'd rather understand stuff than hope it goes away.
Being as my woo neighbor is a fine person, my empathy has shown me this:
By the time one is ready to accept a homeopathic cure, one has a problem.
Taking the pills is a gesture of "getting out of a rut".
This woo works for some because it affects the normal brain circuits.
It serves as a distraction to patterns that have developed in the brain.
It's not so much that they take this stupid pill...its all about the other stuff:
The decision to be better; the un-intended and un-ackknowledged side effects. One takes longer walks; smokes less nicotine; gets slightly distracted from the hard logic of reality.
Religion may well die because we now have more effective ways to suspend reality.
all thoughts on this appreciated, especially if there's any neurologists in the crowd.