[Boffin]

I just started AS level psychology... Sooo good. Thing is all the questions the teacher has been asking us to consider are ones I've already spent hours debating with myself (and are more on the philosophical side of psychology) and I have pre-prepared answers for most of them without realising I was doing it before... BUT I don't wanna come across as a know-it-all twat and make other people feel bad.

So I thought I'd discuss one with you guys!

Question ; Does the mind and thus free thought truly exist or is it merely an illusion?

Boffin's thoughts ; The "mind" is an abstract concept (unlike the brain, which is an object). An abstract concept, by nature, is essentially an illusion created by the human mind. Ergo, the question is moot because if the mind is an illusion, the illusion itself is real. If the illusion is real and the "mind" as a concept is abstract in the first place, then the mind exists.

Basically, my answer is kind of similar to "I think, therefore I am," But I'm pretty sure "I think, therefore I am," is bent more towards proving a different point. Tell me if it's about this.

Now I am SURE that makes sense. Tell me if it doesn't.

[Crash]

to me right there, your thoughts about the mind being a concept more than an object is true. the mind is really only electrical impulses which your brain translates as thought. its not an illusion more than it is just a byproduct of the most advanced muscle in your body at work. our mind is what is created by the series of events which occur inside. as long as the mind doesnt include the parts of the brain which opperate involuntarily.

[Boffin]

It doesn't include them, but it's heavily influenced by them.

[Boffin]

Also, part of the point of the question is that the mind is brought about by, as you said, an incredibly complex, constant series of electrical impulses. So does that mean that pre-meditated thought is an illusion and everything we do is just impulse.

An "act first, think later" scenario... Or "shoot first, ask questions later" if you're half the members of this forum.

[Silent Steve]

Originally Posted by Boffin

I just started AS level psychology... Sooo good. Thing is all the questions the teacher has been asking us to consider are ones I've already spent hours debating with myself (and are more on the philosophical side of psychology) and I have pre-prepared answers for most of them without realising I was doing it before... BUT I don't wanna come across as a know-it-all twat and make other people feel bad.

So I thought I'd discuss one with you guys!

Question ; Does the mind and thus free thought truly exist or is it merely an illusion?

Boffin's thoughts ; The "mind" is an abstract concept (unlike the brain, which is an object). An abstract concept, by nature, is essentially an illusion created by the human mind. Ergo, the question is moot because if the mind is an illusion, the illusion itself is real. If the illusion is real and the "mind" as a concept is abstract in the first place, then the mind exists.

Basically, my answer is kind of similar to "I think, therefore I am," But I'm pretty sure "I think, therefore I am," is bent more towards proving a different point. Tell me if it's about this.

Now I am SURE that makes sense. Tell me if it doesn't.

I'm pretty sure "I think therefor I am" is tackling that exact question. Descartes was questioning what was real. He eventually came down to just his brain, because for all he knew he could have been asleep. Then he began to question the brain itself, if what he knew of as a brain was only created by himself his brain could look totally different. or, for all he knew he could actually not have one. So it came down to thought.

"The "mind" is an abstract concept (unlike the brain, which is an object). An abstract concept, by nature, is essentially an illusion created by the human mind. Ergo, the question is moot because if the mind is an illusion, the illusion itself is real. If the illusion is real and the "mind" as a concept is abstract in the first place, then the mind exists."

that's a damn good answer right there.