RE: Study shows brain can learn without really trying

From: Vincent Campbell (v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk)
Date: Thu Nov 29 2001 - 12:24:07 GMT

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    From: Vincent Campbell <v.p.campbell@stir.ac.uk>
    To: "'memetics@mmu.ac.uk'" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk>
    Subject: RE: Study shows brain can learn without really trying
    Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 12:24:07 -0000
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            Hi Ted,

            <I'll admit my take is Jungian, but the reality of the unconscious,
    > collective or individual, is part and parcel of 20th century
    > enlightenment,
    > every bit as fundamental as E=mc[]'d.>
    >
            I can't understand why you would make such an obviously false claim.
    The concept of the collective unconscious isn't even a fundamental concept
    in psychoanalysis, let alone wider thought.

    >> Breathing is unconscious behaviour- our brain is regulating it
    >> making sure we do it, but we are not conscious of that process.
    But it is
    >> an individual thing. I do not breath because my species tells me
    to

            <Yes, you do. Breathing is universal to the species. It's a part
    of us that
    > follows from our species-identity as opposed to our individuality.
    > Whether
    > the binding agent is morphic or genetic, we are defined collectively.>
    >
            Breathing, in one form or another, is universal to all organisms,
    and thus a product of evolution (and necessity), but any individual organism
    when it breathes does so individually- unless 6 billion people are literally
    or psychically pressing my chest in and out without me noticing it.

            <The funny thing is that the subject heading of this thread stems
    from an
    > article discussing the importance of the unconscious in learning.>
    >
            The thread has been going a long time so recalling the original
    article that set it up took a bit of thought. That piece said nothing of
    the collective unconscious, said nothing about species memories or whatever
    else it is you believe unreservedly. The unconscious simply refers to those
    functions of the brain that we are not (normally) conscious of like
    breathing, seeing etc. When you wake up in the morning you do not say in
    your head 'Open eyes, start seeing' etc., and neither do my fellow humans,
    either current fellows or my ancestors, in any_literal_ sense.

            Vincent

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