James Drogan

From Conversations with Dave 5/11/5

The brain, it seems to me, is little more than a mass of meat nestled amongst the senses.  Necessary, true, but without an accumulation of knowledge, skills, experiences, a value system within which this mass of stuff is managed, and some sort of deep rooted, mysterious supervisory program, not much.  It's the collection of stuff, the value system, and the supervisory program (I can't think of a more catchy phrase at the moment) that comprise, as I see it, the mind.  The brain is simply the carbon-based engine that runs the stuff.

I marvel at how the mind works.  I'm continually amazed how, during the ebb and flow of conversation in the class, all these associations of what would, at first, seem to be unrelated, rush into my mind whether or not I want them there.  I consciously apply a filter, some stuff makes it through and gets into the conversation.  The conversation represents another filter.  Sometimes my stuff doesn't survive.

My supervisory program operates, in part, independently of conscious decisions on my part.  It seems to be sampling the passing data and information stream, storing bits and pieces of stuff, which are then dragged out in the association process.  Today's NYT crossword ask for Charles ____ of Hill Street Blues.  Haid is the answer, but I don't know how I knew.  More than once I have answered an obscure Trivial Pursuit question without knowing how I did it.

Anyway, I've not read in this area as deeply as you.  All I can do is provide an informed layman's perspective.

I also realize that I need not respond to all of your posts.  One the other hand, you are provocative and I will rise to the bait.