Tuesday, August 19, 2025

It's me, most of the time

Mothers and those who mind and educate little kids don't usually find their children using syllogisms, computers or AI.  Like adults, their brains do many things for them and their vision, hearing and memory supply their brains with up-to-date information.  Well, in most cases.  There can be deficits and disabilities, not to mention damage from accidents and mishaps.  


The book "Incognito" by David Eagleman is one that underlined for me how much of my self is governing me, directing me, helping me without my conscious effort.  It is not true that all of that is beyond my ability to affect but training or modifying my habits can be quite a bit more difficult that modifying a sentence.  Generally, if a person is breathing and has a heart that is beating and a series of organs that digest food, none of those essential activities are due to that person's conscious efforts.  It can be surprising how much of being alive for one day or more is taken care of by one's body without knowledge or awareness of the brain.