BBB EXAM 1
the mind/body problem
- one of the most important issues of psychology - does the mind arise from the biological activity of the brain? -what is the nature of the mind and how does it interact with the body?
Cutting the corpus callosum was remarkably effective in
-reducing or eliminating epileptic attacks. -no obvious changes in behavior -two sides of the brain were disconnected and work independently
what neuroscience revealed about consciousness?
-some parts of the human brain support consciousness, but other parts do not.
eye mammalian visual system most recent evolved behavioral mechanisms
-speech and thinking in words (and consciousness) -other complex behaviors
nature of the human mind non- material and unknowable dualism
-the mind is different from the brain -the mind is not material and doesn't follow physical laws -the brain is physical and obeys physical laws (ex: life flashing or coma means that the mind is still working)
Descartes' model was scientifically useful because
it could be tested experimentally.
Descarte Interactionism:
mind and body somehow interacted
The scientific method of studying the world gained
momentum and became widely used to study all sorts of phenomenon.
Anton's Syndrome
opposite of blindsight claim to be able to see 100% blind
Descarte Pineal gland:
small organ buried in the middle of the brain was the point of interaction.
epileptic activity on one side of the brain sometimes travels to the other side of the brain via the corpus callosum
- largest bundle of nerves the connect the two hemispheres of the brain -two hemispheres share information - seizure activity-travel back and forth until both sides of the brains are involved -seizures can occur many times each day
what is consciousness
-Closely linked to the ability to communicate an internal narrative. -Communicate to oneself, to others
Aristotle
-Disciple of Plato -Dualist -Believed that the heart was seat of human consciousness
Rene Descartes
-French philosopher and mathematician -One of the greatest thinkers of the Italian renaissance - willing to doubt everything, including religious dogma, in search of the truth. - tools for the search were impersonal observations and logic. -dualist -the proposed link between the human mind and physical housing -
Hippocrates
-Greek physician considered to be the father of Western medicine. -the brain was the seat of human consciousness. - recognized epilepsy as a disease of the brain -epilepsy has been thought to be a "sacred" disease epileptic was possessed by gods or spirits
Cross- Cueing
-Hemisphere find unusual but effective way to share information -Facial expressions, head movements, hand gestures -Sometimes, contention between hemispheres
Descarte Water
-Hydraulic model, from the statues in the royal gardens of the louis XIV in france -Water pressure caused statues to move and dance
Luigi Galvani
-Italian physicist and physician. -Found evidence that pneuma was not correct -Discovered circa 1790 that an electrical current would cause the isolated muscle of frog to contract
Galen
-Roman physician; chief physician for gladiators. -learned a lot about the effects of head injuries - the formalized belief that the brain was the organ of intellect. -believed that the soul controlled body by controlling brain.
testing requires that information be restricted to one of brain or other:
-Tachistoscope flashes visual information of very brief duration [100 - 200 milliseconds] to extreme right or left visual field. -Left brain controls the rights side of the body -Right brain controls the left of the side of the body
eye primitive visual system definition
-a person is not aware of visual info received by the system
Galen Pneuma
-also called animal spirit -stored in large, hallow spaces in brain called ventricles -nerves served as a tube pneuma to travel through body -Pneuma is sent to muscles and causes the body to move -environmental stimuli caused fluids to move from sense organs to the brain
theory of mind
-awareness of our own internal narrative -ability to communicate these internal states to others -a belief that others have a similar internal narrative
blindsight occurs/means
-because of the damage to the primary visual cortex (occipital lobe) -people cannot see anything because they are legally blind however they can avoid objects in their path
eye mammalian visual system definition
-damage abolishes perception and awareness of visual stimuli
nature of the human mind physical and tangible materialism
-extreme monism -mind is matter -all human behavior can be explained by the electrical and chemical activity of the nervous system
nature of the human mind physical and tangible monism:
-monism (ex: life flashing before your eyes, people would say that this is just caused by hallucinations) -the mind part of the material universe -all matter including the mind, obey the same rules
Epilepsy
-neurological disorders characterized by recurrent seizures -seizures caused by the abnormal electrical activity of neurons in parts of the brain -controlled with medication -surgery may be used if medication does not work
eye primitive visual system behavioral mechanism
eye and head movements reaching towards something with hands other simple behaviors
Conscious awareness requires parts of brain that
support language.
Conscious awareness of information requires
the parts of the brain that support language
pathways in the brain
what- in mammals where- in fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mamanals - more primitive then what? -what- not in fish, amphibians, reptile
pathways in blindsight
where is functional but what is not
People with blindsight see without being consciously aware of seeing. HOW?
where- does not support being conscious what- does support being conscious
