what do you think about expanding the mind?

[TheII]

Does anyone else think that our subconscious imposes a limit on your brain power. I think that the fact that we know that our brains are in our heads and that we believe that our thoughts originate there stops us from doing more with our minds. I've been trying to change how and what I think about, doing things like thinking of multiple things at once, meditating and convincing myself that I can expand my mind. I just thought this while sitting here so it's not completely developed but tell me what you think regardless. thanks

[zareste]

I think one problem is, we only have so much energy to dedicate to thought, so we focus on certain areas of the mind, while other areas become unfocused or subconscious. For example I have a physical job, which is actually good for my thoughts (well, more so than a desk job) because I can think about a story or picture and not mind the physical processes (vision, hearing, coordination) which do repetitive tasks I don't need to focus on. They become subconscious.

So, something I've been doing is exerting one area of the mind at a time. I'll stop my intentional thought process and see how I feel and what I'm subconsciously thinking. If it's feelings of frustration, I'll focus on thoughts about solving (or destroying) problems that annoy me, and eventually that area wears out. When I stop my intentional thoughts again, I have feelings other than frustration, and I can focus on them.

Although it would be nice if we lived in better conditions so it wouldn't be so hard to think. A lot of intelligent life forms out there live in better environments so they can use the entirety of their minds without any effort

[TheII]

I think I see where you are coming from zareste. it would be especially nice to have that place to devote to thinking. I often just sit and Imagine things when I have the free time. I like to think of being in ancient greek times or what I imagine them to be with Aristotle or the like. with people lounging around in a large circular room, with great marble columns like you see in paintings of the time, thinking about philosphy or what ever anyone wants.  but wouldn't that be nice? but think of what you mind does in dreams. It creates every aspect of them no matter how small the detail. literally hundreds of different images put together each second that passes. If we could only think so many things at once think of all that we could accomplish in a day.

[TheII]

thanks by the way for your reply

[gdo]

It is the quality of the concious mind that is the limiting factor.  It allows us to focus on a task, while the subconcious mind does everything else for you. 


Think of all of the things that you no longer have to conciously focus on that your subconcious mind does!

[TheII]

what I want to know is if it is possible to to focus on more than one task at a time. like layering the my thought processes. I think there is something there that most of us aren't aware of.

[gdo]

Other that experiencing superconciousness or cosmic conciousness, anything that is not in your normal waking conciousness is in your subconciousness.

[no_leaf_clover]

The very nature of our consciousness is to be exclusive of the experience of most of the rest of creation, ie our subconscious.

Digging up the faculties of our subconscious, and trying to make as much of it conscious and whole as possible, is what we are all about.

[TheII]

what about using your mind almost like a computer running multiple programs at a time. I just started reading 2001 a space odyssey. the beginning is very interesting.  I haven't finished this part of the book so maybe I don't completely understand it but, it starts with early humanoids and they are taught by something to think differently and use different concepts to move them from something more animal to something that is more human. now, is it possible to go farther than we have, more like superconsciousness.
or using cosmic consciousness to link every mind to do more.

[gdo]

TheII,

What, exactly, are you wanting to do? 

Your subconcious mind does an untold number of things at the same time, relieving the concious mind from the burden of having to think through all the steps that it takes to do ALL of the things you do.

Give an example of what you want to do.

Your brain is a computer.  The computers that we make are extensions of our brains.  Granted we do not all have the same processing power or ram as it were.

Yes it is possible to go farther that what you have.  As it is now we all do not have the same experiences.  We do use language to share common experiences.  When there are fewer number of people who have an experience then there are fewer ways to communicate that experience.

Are you fishing?

[Xanth]

I can drive a car... listen to the radio... and hold a conversation with someone in the passenger seat...
All at the same time.

Our senses are constantly bombarded by different things all at the same time.
You're doing what you're asking at this very second.  You're doing it all the time, everyday. 

[TheII]

fishing?
but how much of yourself are you actually devoting to each task. when I first asked the question I was thinking more of just thinking things. for a simple example, doing multiple math problems at once or reading a book and comprehending it at the same time you are thinking of somethings else, not stuff like walking, talking and chewing gum at the same time.

[Xanth]

fishing?
but how much of yourself are you actually devoting to each task. when I first asked the question I was thinking more of just thinking things. for a simple example, doing multiple math problems at once or reading a book and comprehending it at the same time you are thinking of somethings else, not stuff like walking, talking and chewing gum at the same time.

Walking, talking and chewing gum at the same time!?
Now you're just talking crazy!   

[TheII]

yes walking while talking and chewing gum at the same time or driving a car, listening to the radio and having a conversation as you put it. This is getting rather tiring.
imagine a red triangle, a green circle and a blue rectangle all at once. now what If those shapes where instead a song, a part of a book you read and something on this forum. this is something like I want to accomplish except i want more, say three of each "shape".
Bare with me. I don't really know what I'm talking about. I have an Idea and I'm trying to put it into words. I need help and nothing more. if I do sound crazy, eh whatever. I decided a while ago that that is probably the truth or as close to truth as anything can be. Xanth funny Avatar by the way.

[kurtykurt42]

Your brain is a computer.  The computers that we make are extensions of our brains.  Granted we do not all have the same processing power or ram as it were.

Yes it is possible to go farther that what you have.  As it is now we all do not have the same experiences.  We do use language to share common experiences.  When there are fewer number of people who have an experience then there are fewer ways to communicate that experience.

A human brain's probable processing power is around 100 teraflops, roughly 100 trillion calculations per second, according to Hans Morvec, principal research scientist at the Robotics Institute of Carnegie Mellon University. This is based on factoring the capability of the brain's 100 billion neurons, each with over 1,000 connections to other neurons, with each connection capable of performing about 200 calculations per second.

The new Intel Core 2 Extreme runs at about 59,455 MIPS or (Million instructions per second). The brain has about 100 million MIPS worth of processing power. Making the human brain run much faster than your average computer.

what about using your mind almost like a computer running multiple programs at a time.

Programs actually only execute one program at a time but they do it very very fast to give the appearance that they are running multiple programs. The processor will jump back and forth fetching instructions similarly to how the brain works. All instructions will wait in a queue or buffer in main memory until it's there turn to go to the processor.

The brain also does some multitasking using the autonomic nervous system. For example, the brain controls breathing, heart rate and blood pressure at the same time it performs a mental task. As well as walking, talking and chewing gum!

[TheII]

thank you kurtykurt42. you answered some questions and created quite a bit more. what you say about the brains processing power is awesome. but it leads me to ask whether neurons can form more connections than already exist? which as I think of it they most likely can. if you have heard of What the Bleep do we Know than you may know what I am talking about. and even though I was mistaken in my previous assumptions of my latter post when I asked about my mind being able to function much like a computer I still wonder about it's ability to process more information than is "humanly possible" at the same time. and could I think so fast that multiple thoughts seem to happen simultaneously? I am speaking only of the conscious mind. and I would still like to hear what you think xanth.

[gdo]

TheII,

After giving your original question alot of thought, yes, I think that there are a few people who can use the funtions of their brain in a way that you describe. I mean REALLY only a FEW. 

There is a difference though between Conciousness and the Brain.   

The brain is the medium through which some of your/our conciousness works. 

As humans we share the same brain structure and most of its functions.  We do not always share the same conciousness. 

Conciousness can and does modify the physical brain as it does our entire body.  Just think of the discipline that it takes to become a master musician on any instrument.  Thier bodies are modified through years of discipline to be able to play the way that they do. Still it is the subconcious part of us that takes on automatic tasks even for master musicians.  If a musician had to think about playing each and every note and how to do it, they would not be 'masters' at all, and the music would not sound as nice either. 

Perhaps your question is more about Conciousness than about the brain itself. 

What can you train yourself to do? 

[TheII]

thanks gdo. I'm going to think a few days and post again. I would like to make more sense.

[gdo]

" :-What can you train yourself to do?"    This was meant to be rhetorical.   


Another ingredient is emotion or passion or desire.   We excel at what we are passionate about.  We are good at what we love. 

Think about what some people say.   

            'I hate math'

            'Why'

             'Because I am not good at it'   (ergo. I am not good at it so I hate it) 

If you do what you are passionate about first, then you can gain confidence and transfer that skill to something you can LEARN to be passionate about.