Does your brain make thoughts or do thoughts make your brain?
Posted on 25. Jan, 2010 by Rick in Brain Research, TED, Theory, video | 0 comments
I couldn’t help but think about prions, the theorized “self-replicating” rogue protein thought to cause “mad cow disease,” while I watched this video on “memes” and “temes.” Both topics center on the theory of “non-living” elements using their environments for replication.
The theory of memes, called memetics, postulates that thoughts replicate themselves from person to person through imitation, and just like genes evolving over generations, these meme-thoughts can evolve over time and with each imitation-replication they too can evolve. Think of it as Darwinian-evolution for thoughts.
This may be the point where we leave thought-provoking and enter the realm of controversy. If you like having your brain challenged…or if you’d like to replicate a meme or two, click on the video below and watch Dr. Susan Blackmore’s presentation from the February 2008 TED conference. When you’re done watching the video ask yourself, “are human brains just a breeding grounds for imitated thoughts?”
This video is likely to trigger some strong reactions and we invite respectful, insightful and thought-challenging comments. We can only make stronger minds through challenging thought.
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