Neurotheology: This Is Your Brain On Religion Principles of NeurotheologyBy Andrew B. NewbergPaperback, 284 pagesAshgateList price: $29.95 "Neurotheology" is a unique field of scholarship and investigation that seeks to understand the relationship specifically between the brain and theology, and more broadly between the mind and religion. If neurotheology is to be considered a viable field going forward, it requires a set of clear principles that can be generally agreed upon and supported by both the theological or religious perspective and the scientific one as well. It is important to infuse throughout the principles of neurotheology the notion that neurotheology requires an openness to both the scientific as well as the spiritual perspectives. In short, for neurotheology to be successful, science must be kept rigorous and religion must be kept religious. When considering the primary reasons for developing neurotheology as a field, we can consider four foundational goals for scholarship in this area. 1. 2. 3. 4.
The Extended Mind Andy Clark & David J. Chalmers [*] Department of Philosophy Washington University St. Department of Philosophy University of Arizona Tucson, AZ 85721 andy@twinearth.wustl.educhalmers@arizona.edu *[[Authors are listed in order of degree of belief in the central thesis.]] [[Published in Analysis 58:10-23, 1998. 1 Introduction Where does the mind stop and the rest of the world begin? 2 Extended Cognition Consider three cases of human problem-solving: (1) A person sits in front of a computer screen which displays images of various two-dimensional geometric shapes and is asked to answer questions concerning the potential fit of such shapes into depicted "sockets". (2) A person sits in front of a similar computer screen, but this time can choose either to physically rotate the image on the screen, by pressing a rotate button, or to mentally rotate the image as before. (3) Sometime in the cyberpunk future, a person sits in front of a similar computer screen. 3 Active Externalism Now consider Otto.
10 Websites With Fun Tests To Gauge Your IQ Intelligence Quotient (IQ) is a term that’s related to the wattage of your brain; in short intelligence and reasoning skills measured across a few standardized tests. Before an inferiority complex starts laying its foundation, remember that I.Q is not a measure of knowledge or its practical application. To rub our egos the right way, you might take a few serious approved tests and arrive at your IQ. Me? I don’t want to find out where I end up on the dunce scale, so I usually head to these fun tests to gauge my IQ. FunEducation Try out the array of tests on this site which include a range of serious self discovery tools and fun quizzes. 3SmartCubes If you are looking for a range of tests that measure everything from IQ to your EQ (Emotional Quotient), then this site deserves to be bookmarked. Free IQ Test Just like the name says, this site is a place for a fast, free, and accurate online IQ test. IQ League own system to score you, so it’s more of a fun IQ test rather than a scientific one.
The Brain Story | Documentary Heaven | Watch Free Documentaries Online Why do we think and feel as we do? For years man has sought to understand the workings of the mind. Now, with advances in modern-day technology and developments in neuroscience, a whole new world of brain research is opening up. Understanding our minds is becoming a reality. All in the Mind. In the Heat of the Moment. The Mind’s Eye. First Among Equals. Growing the Mind. The Final Mystery.
Brain mechanism recruited to reduce noise during challenging tasks New research reveals a sophisticated brain mechanism that is critical for filtering out irrelevant signals during demanding cognitive tasks. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 26 issue of the journal Neuron, also provides some insight into how disruption of key inhibitory pathways may contribute to schizophrenia. "The ability to keep track of information and one's actions from moment to moment is necessary to accomplish even the simple tasks of everyday life," explains senior study author, Dr. Dr. "The primate dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and anterior cingulated cortex (ACC) are brain regions that focus attention on relevant signals and suppress noise in cognitive tasks. The researchers found that a pathway linking two related prefrontal areas within DLPFC and a pathway from the functionally distinct ACC to DLPFC similarly innervated excitatory neurons associated with paying attention to relevant stimuli. Source: Cell Press
Brain is not fully mature until 30s and 40s (PhysOrg.com) -- New research from the UK shows the brain continues to develop after childhood and puberty, and is not fully developed until people are well into their 30s and 40s. The findings contradict current theories that the brain matures much earlier. Professor Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, a neuroscientist with the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, said until around a decade ago many scientists had "pretty much assumed that the human brain stopped developing in early childhood," but recent research has found that many regions of the brain continue to develop for a long time afterwards. The prefrontal cortex is the region at the front of the brain just behind the forehead, and is an area of the brain that undergoes the longest period of development. Prof. In earlier research Professor Blakemore studied the brains of teenagers in detail, as reported in PhysOrg. Explore further: Study: Our brains compensate for aging
Can't relax? It's all in your mind: Research shows stopping a thought puts more strain on the brain (PhysOrg.com) -- Turns out, relaxing is exhausting—which could by why so many people struggle to unplug from work during vacation. According to mathematicians at Case Western Reserve University, stopping a thought burns more energy than thinking-like stopping a truck on a downhill slope. "Maybe this explains why it is so tiring to relax and think about nothing," says Daniela Calvetti, professor of mathematics and one of the authors of a new brain study published in an advanced online publication of the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism. Since opening up the brain for detailed monitoring isn't exactly practical, Calvetti teamed up with fellow mathematics professor Erkki Somersalo and Rossana Occhipinti, a postdoctoral researcher in physiology and biophysics, to create a computer model of brain metabolism. Calvetti and Somersalo created a software package specifically designed to study the complex metabolic systems.
Body of Thought: How Trivial Sensations Can Influence Reasoning, Social Judgment and Perception Why do we look up to those we respect, stoop to the level of those we disdain and think warmly about those we love? Why do we hide dirty secrets or wash our hands of worries? Why do we ponder weighty subjects and feel a load lift after we have made a decision? Why do we look back on the past and forward to the future? Such turns of phrase, invoking a physical reality that stands in for intangible concepts, might seem like linguistic flights of fancy. Select an option below: Customer Sign In *You must have purchased this issue or have a qualifying subscription to access this content Use Your Hyperactive Brain to Lose Weight Those who live by impulse eat by impulse. Eating compulsively is a main cause of obesity in many adults with ADD/ADHD. I have found that the condition is five times more prevalent among overeaters than in the general population. Just as ADD/ADHD adults may struggle to understand what someone is saying, they have difficulty interpreting what their bodies are telling them. They mistake feeling upset (or bored) for feeling hungry. I’ve come up with tips specifically designed for ADD/ADHD overeaters. Use Your Hyperactive Brain to Lose Weight Having ADD/ADHD is like having a good engine and lousy brakes. Don't Expect to Be Able to Resist Food Temptations Try to avoid them instead. Take Time to Exercise Do what doesn’t come naturally, when you feel a slump in energy or mood. Avoid Boredom and Stimulate Your Brain Get your minimum daily requirement of stimulation. Schedule When You Eat People with ADD/ADHD are often unaware of their feelings. Pay Attention to the Experience of Eating
7 Skills To Become Super Smart People aren’t born smart. They become smart. And to become smart you need a well-defined set of skills. Here are some tips and resources for acquiring those skills. Memory If you can’t remember what you’re trying to learn, you’re not really learning. If you want to amaze your friends with remembering faces, names, and numbers, look to the grand-daddy of memory training, Harry Lorayne. Reading Good scholars need to be good readers. Evelyn Woodski Slow Reading Course Announcer … Dan Aykroyd Man … Garrett Morris Woman … Jane Curtin Surgeon … Bill Murray … Ray Charles Announcer V/O: [The following words rapidly appear on a blue screen as they are read by the fast-talking announcer:] This is the way you were taught to read, averaging hundreds or thousands of words per minute. Psychologists have found that many people who take speed reading courses increase their reading speed for a short time but then fall right back to the plodding pace where they started. Writing Speaking Numeracy Empathy
Embodied Cognition Embodied Cognition is a growing research program in cognitive science that emphasizes the formative role the environment plays in the development of cognitive processes. The general theory contends that cognitive processes develop when a tightly coupled system emerges from real-time, goal-directed interactions between organisms and their environment; the nature of these interactions influences the formation and further specifies the nature of the developing cognitive capacities. Since embodied accounts of cognition have been formulated in a variety of different ways in each of the sub-fields comprising cognitive science (that is, developmental psychology, artificial life/robotics, linguistics, and philosophy of mind), a rich interdisciplinary research program continues to emerge. Table of Contents 1. 2. To say that cognition is embodied means that it arises from bodily interactions with the world. a. i. Hannah’s problem was different from Gabriel’s, but it was also the same. ii.
120 Ways to Boost Your Brain Power Here are 120 things you can do starting today to help you think faster, improve memory, comprehend information better and unleash your brain’s full potential. Solve puzzles and brainteasers.Cultivate ambidexterity. Use your non-dominant hand to brush your teeth, comb your hair or use the mouse. Readers’ Contributions Dance! Contribute your own tip! There are many, many ways to keep our brains sharp. Your personal homepage The test assessed a person's reaction time while also looking for erratic answering patterns, and it raised a red flag for those who an MRI scan later found to have dementia-related brain lesions. Scientists at the Australian National University (ANU) have been able to use a computer-based test to gauge a person’s brain health, according to a new study. "Although we cannot be certain that these middle-aged people will go on to get dementia, the results are important for several reasons," News.com.au quoted professor David Bunce as saying. “Although the presence of the lesions was confirmed through MRI scans, we were able to predict those persons who had them through very simple-to-administer tests," he added. The research took in almost 430 men and women, aged 44 to 48 and many based in the Canberra area, and less than 10% were found to have the lesions. It was very low cost and could be performed during a standard doctor's check-up.
Daily dose of beet juice promotes brain health in older adults Researchers for the first time have shown that drinking beet juice can increase blood flow to the brain in older adults -- a finding that could hold great potential for combating the progression of dementia. The research findings are available online in Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry, the peer-reviewed journal of the Nitric Oxide Society and will be available in print soon. "There have been several very high-profile studies showing that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure, but we wanted to show that drinking beet juice also increases perfusion, or blood flow, to the brain," said Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest University's Translational Science Center; Fostering Independence in Aging. "There are areas in the brain that become poorly perfused as you age, and that's believed to be associated with dementia and poor cognition." The next day, following another 10-hour fast, the subjects returned to the lab, where they ate their assigned breakfasts.