onemoretime
Dreaming the life
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2009
- Messages
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- 3h50
I've always located it somewhere between my eyes, or even somewhere detached behind my head. How about you?
IOW, every tracking mechanism we have is in our head; it's like that's the window we look out on the world from.
If our perceptions were more dispersed, maybe we'd have a less uniform answer.
Often between the ears.
Sometimes between the legs.
I think it's natural for people to place it in their head... because that is where we see, hear, taste, and smell things.
Only touch occurs all over the body.
IOW, every tracking mechanism we have is in our head; it's like that's the window we look out on the world from.
If our perceptions were more dispersed, maybe we'd have a less uniform answer.
Then again, some other cultures have placed the soul in other body parts besides the head or the heart, so...
From some of the literature I've been reading, the most common human experience is for the "heart" (actually, a ring of ganglia in the center of the chest) to be the subjectively perceived seat of one's consciousness, with the perceiving organs of the head understood as an extension of this. I find that interesting, because it would make sense outside of understanding the brain to be the center of cognition.
In fact, it sort of illustrates how random and accidental evolution can be - why would the brain, one of the more immediately vital organs in the body, be placed in such a relatively exposed and vulnerable position? Wouldn't it make more sense to be in a safer and more protected area?
Often between the ears.
Sometimes between the legs.
From some of the literature I've been reading, the most common human experience is for the "heart" (actually, a ring of ganglia in the center of the chest) to be the subjectively perceived seat of one's consciousness, with the perceiving organs of the head understood as an extension of this. I find that interesting, because it would make sense outside of understanding the brain to be the center of cognition.
In fact, it sort of illustrates how random and accidental evolution can be - why would the brain, one of the more immediately vital organs in the body, be placed in such a relatively exposed and vulnerable position? Wouldn't it make more sense to be in a safer and more protected area?
Did the nerves develop first, then the brain developed in proximity to the most areas of sensitive nerves of all types?
In some ways it might seem smarter to put the brain in the middle of the body... but I don't think things evolve like that. That's more the strategy one would use if there was an intelligent designer doing a blueprint of the finished work to begin with, then figuring out where the "safest place" for the nerve center would be in that finalized predesigned product.
In this case, the brain seems to be closest to the intersection of nerves that inadvertently specialized (sight, sound, taste, etc.) into something useful.
Evolution's funny. I think the optic nerves actually run into the eye and then back out than directly out from it; there's a huge chunk of creatures for which this is true ... but not all. Not exactly the best design, but you're stuck with it if it worked and if upgrades to that area did not offer any better survival odds.
I've read about this just recently too. According to Jung, ancient ("pre-philosophical") man localized his soul to the area of the diaphragm (in Greek means phren, or mind) and the heart. It was the first philosophers that identified reason and emotions to come from the head. Supposedly primitive peoples still "think with their hearts."
I've read about this just recently too. According to Jung, ancient ("pre-philosophical") man localized his soul to the area of the diaphragm (in Greek means phren, or mind) and the heart. It was the first philosophers that identified reason and emotions to come from the head. Supposedly primitive peoples still "think with their hearts."
Yup.
So why the solar plexus? A chunk of people don't even know what that is. (I can take some guesses, but it's more informative to have you explain. )
I have a guess as to why this may be. "Reasoning" consciousness, that is, the one between your eyes, is the one that comes out when your body's spiked with norepinephrine. What that means is that since you're in a life-or-death situation, your sensing organs take much higher precedence in your cognitive prioritization scheme. Because of this, your brain will focus on your head as being the most "you" part of your body.
"Emotional" consciousness, that is, the one in your heart, is the one that you're naturally attuned to when your body's spiked with oxytocin. The primary effect of this neurochemical is to make you feel relaxed and bonded with others. At this point, your mechanisms for social bonding, such as mirror neurons and other functions, take the highest prioritization in your brain. Since an oxytocin flood is perceived more greatly in that ganglial ring in the center of one's body, your brain focuses on your heart as being the most "you" part of your body.
From some of the literature I've been reading, the most common human experience is for the "heart" (actually, a ring of ganglia in the center of the chest) to be the subjectively perceived seat of one's consciousness, with the perceiving organs of the head understood as an extension of this. I find that interesting, because it would make sense outside of understanding the brain to be the center of cognition.
In fact, it sort of illustrates how random and accidental evolution can be - why would the brain, one of the more immediately vital organs in the body, be placed in such a relatively exposed and vulnerable position? Wouldn't it make more sense to be in a safer and more protected area?