Changes in the environment lead to changes in the thinking, feeling and behavior of individuals, small groups, and even nation states. (Ref: demonization of Germans during WW2.)
‘Reality’ is changing its foundations from myth and magic to materialism and mindfulness: from pre-modern (traditional) to modern (scientific) to post-modern (consilient).
This train of thought is influenced by having just read the following sentences of Richard Restak:
“At this moment, while writing this sentence, I’m fully conscious of my purpose. Indeed, each of the sentences in this essay would be impossible if I didn’t remain conscious of my intention while writing them. Yet I’m not aware what precise form the sentences will take – that comes when I see them displayed on the screen. Thus my writing of this essay is a mix of the conscious and the unconscious.” [Restak, Richard M. (2012-10-25). The Big Questions: Mind (Kindle Locations 686-688). Quercus. Kindle Edition.]
It is the same for me but more so in that I am not fully conscious of my intention for writing this essay. There is a misty appreciation for the insights provided by scientists (Zoologists in particular eg J Z Young) about the evolution of brains in general, the embryological development of human brains, and the processes of enculturation in human groups. (Ref: ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny)
There are similarities between this spontaneous writing, and doodling. The unconscious streams and generates product - text and images respectively. ‘I’ am not aware of a forward plan for more than the next few seconds. Decisions about what appears next do not give the impression of being rationally controlled by the Executive functions in the pre-frontal cortex.
The main difference between the texts and the images is that the former have obvious meaning while the latter do not. I am assuming that both are rooted in the mindbrain churn where present sensations meet past memories and future actions are planned and sometimes implemented.
“If I have seen further it is because I stood on the shoulders of giants.” (Isaac Newton). I think in particular of those who summarised rational modes of action/reflection cycles eg
PIME
- (Situation appraisal) Planning
- Implementation
- Monitoring
- Evaluation (Situation appraisal)
Countervailing power
- Gather information
- Analyse information
- Prioritize actions
- Create an organisational mechanism
- Periodically reflect on activities
Lesson planning
- Aims
- Objectives
- Content and Method
- Monitoring
- Evaluation
In acquiring three university degrees I was encultured into believing that ‘I’ should ‘think’ objectively and generate evidence-based conclusions ie that I should use the scientific method. No problems. But, as I get older, ‘I’ ‘sense’ the potential of other ways of thinking and feeling.
There is the image of an iceberg with a vast amount of unconsciousness below the surface and a tiny bit of consciousness above it. ‘I’ am convinced (aka I believe) that there is much to be gained by focusing attention on attention. The belief has its roots in multidisciplinary science but it is informed by idiosyncratic subjectivity.
The serious stuff includes neurology, evolutionary psychology, Big History, and mindfulness meditation. The idiosyncratic stuff includes sitting, reading, writing and doodling. This results in alterations to my world view (Zeitgeist).
Reality changes one mindbrain at a time. (time = milliseconds to centuries)
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