Comments on: “Heart” versus “Mind”? http://www.rentine.com/theshortversion/2008/07/02/%e2%80%9cheart%e2%80%9d-versus-%e2%80%9cmind%e2%80%9d/ Love, Life, Meaning, Zen, and Science, by Norm Bearrentine Sat, 04 Feb 2012 04:41:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: normbear http://www.rentine.com/theshortversion/2008/07/02/%e2%80%9cheart%e2%80%9d-versus-%e2%80%9cmind%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-264 normbear Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:21:25 +0000 http://www.rentine.com/theshortversion/?p=148#comment-264 I'm thrilled that you approve, and that you added the example of your daughter. I have found the ideas you present in "The Emotion Machine," to be wonderful enhancements to my thinking about how the brain works, and have referred to the book several times in this blog. I keep thinking that at some point I'll do a comprehensive discussion of it on my web site, but time being what it is, so far I've only succeeded in referring to a few choice concepts as they appear useful to my current hot button issues; which is often. It's a truly seminal work that, once again, puts you in the forefront of creative thinking about how this machine works, and I thank you for it. I’m thrilled that you approve, and that you added the example of your daughter. I have found the ideas you present in “The Emotion Machine,” to be wonderful enhancements to my thinking about how the brain works, and have referred to the book several times in this blog. I keep thinking that at some point I’ll do a comprehensive discussion of it on my web site, but time being what it is, so far I’ve only succeeded in referring to a few choice concepts as they appear useful to my current hot button issues; which is often. It’s a truly seminal work that, once again, puts you in the forefront of creative thinking about how this machine works, and I thank you for it.

]]> By: Marvin Minsky http://www.rentine.com/theshortversion/2008/07/02/%e2%80%9cheart%e2%80%9d-versus-%e2%80%9cmind%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-263 Marvin Minsky Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:59:47 +0000 http://www.rentine.com/theshortversion/?p=148#comment-263 Thanks for that discussion. I had not heard about those interesting Northeastern experiments, and I think that lab is only a 10-minute walk from my home—so I'll go and talk to them. Anyway, I like your explanations. This reminds me of another example: My daughter was doing her high school algebra homework. Some pop music was blasting away in her room along. I asked, "How can you think with all that noise?" and she replied "Actually, I can't think about math without it." I asked what she meant, and her answer was, "It must be because I'm an adolescent. You see, we adolescents are bothered by all sorts of irrational phobias and sexual thoughts and social concerns—and I'm the one who my friends are always asking for help. So I find that my mind keeps getting occupied with thinking about their problems. But when I turn on this loud music stuff, all of social concerns go away -- and then I'm free to think about the binomial theorem and stuff like that." This looks as though the pop-music somehow saturates (or anesthetizes) her "social thinking" resources, and they can't interfere or compete with her math-related processes. Thanks for that discussion. I had not heard about those interesting Northeastern experiments, and I think that lab is only a 10-minute walk from my home—so I’ll go and talk to them. Anyway, I like your explanations. This reminds me of another example:

My daughter was doing her high school algebra homework. Some pop music was blasting away in her room along. I asked, “How can you think with all that noise?” and she replied “Actually, I can’t think about math without it.” I asked what she meant, and her answer was, “It must be because I’m an adolescent. You see, we adolescents are bothered by all sorts of irrational phobias and sexual thoughts and social concerns—and I’m the one who my friends are always asking for help. So I find that my mind keeps getting occupied with thinking about their problems. But when I turn on this loud music stuff, all of social concerns go away — and then I’m free to think about the binomial theorem and stuff like that.”

This looks as though the pop-music somehow saturates (or anesthetizes) her “social thinking” resources, and they can’t interfere or compete with her math-related processes.

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