Let us think together

Sunday, August 06, 2006

Can understanding the mechanism of the mind lead to non-violence?

Arguably the human mind controls most of what is happening in and around us. So I think it is critical that we understand how it works and see it for what it is.

In this violent world where we constantly live under fear of war, non-violence is really the only way for lasting peace. Often the mind has a major role during any chain of events that ultimately causes someone to resort to extreme measures. To this extent understanding the mechanism of the mind is important.

Any thoughts?

posted by Vasu at 12:19 AM

9 Comments:

  • As far as I know buddhists have a brain institute in US and working on these issues. On the other hand neural engineers are working to find the relationsship between neuron outputs and the human behavior. besids schycologists are working on the chemical side of the brain and the effect of hormons on it.
    Well, you may be right. maybe in the near future scientists try to keep the peace by injecting tons of hormons to people's vains or engineers want to keep the peace by using millions of electrods on the cerebral cortex of all the human's brain. but there should be a simpler solution maybe by simply electrocuting those who declare war, electrocution scince has been well stablished and experimented for centuries. a million volt current to that stupid ahmadinejhad's body and boom! the world can live in peace.

    By Blogger Siah, at 3:02 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Congratulation on your web-log!
    I've just seen the news in Anar's web-log!
    I don't have any thoughts about this post but I've got a question:
    Could you please explain in an easy way ,not medical one, what are the differences between the mechanism of mind of person which lead to the violence and war without any bad feelings and of a person which lead to peace and feel fear of war?
    Sorry for my bad English. I've just learned English so I couldn't convey right therefore I wanna that you explain in an easy way because besides my problem in English, I've never learned biology subjects and I'm a little stupid in this major.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:50 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Interesting thoughts siah. I do hope it doesn't come down to scientists injecting hormone to maintain peace. Who knows what effects chemicals can have on us?! Remember all the oversized vegetables in the United States - all genetically and chemically modified. We don't want oversized human beings!

    Electrocuting Ahmadinejad however will not bring peace. Perhaps it may bring relief to many, but not lasting peace.

    By Blogger Vasu, at 6:07 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Dear anonymous,
    I am no expert in the neural sciences either, so I am going to base it on experience and perception. First let me see if I understood your question correctly. I think you are asking what is the difference in the mechanisms of the mind between a person who is willing to wage war without any bad feelings and one who likes to be in peace, but is constantly afraid of war? If this is your question then lets try to see if we understand the minds of these two persons.

    First of all why would someone be willing to wage a war? A mind resorts to an external conflict (i.e. a war) when it feels overwhelemed with insecurity internally (within itself). War is certainly a drastic measure - for anybody.

    A mind which sees war as a solution and does not have much of problem in waging one is fundamentally aggressive. It is insecure and feels that it will lose its control of something that it has. Clearly a host of factors must have contributed to get this mind to think in this manner. When it does feel threatened it resorts to the past to seek a solution from a similar situation. Past incidents such as other wars that were successful in achieving its goals and failure through peaceful means may accentuate its willingness to wage a war. Therefore this mind may see war as the only solution.

    Now, the other mind, that fears war but wants peace also feels insecure (just as the aggressive mind). But here the insecurity is the destruction of peace because of an impending war. Clearly most of us belong to this category, otherwise everybody will go around killing others! This mind is fundamentally defensive and should find comfort in a peaceful existence. This mind should think that conflicts can be resolved by dialogue rather than by aggression. When things (that are beyond this mind) spin out of control, and a war seems inevitable the insecurity of this defensive mind is heightened and it experiences anxiety about the war and about its own existence.

    Does this make sense? Or am I just rambling on something else altogether?

    By Blogger Vasu, at 6:34 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Thanks for ur comment at my blog, Vasu...

    Encouraging to see a blog like urs devoted to community thinking/learning, i get tired of those diary-style ones.

    As people of faith, we live at a momentous time of conflict and Gandhi has some tremendous insights we could learn from.

    Let's converse, dialogue and learn together!

    Not expecting any easy answers, what are some suggestions you would offer as a solution for civilisational conflict?

    By Blogger The Hedonese, at 8:25 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Dear Hedonese,

    The dictionary defines civilisation as a state of advanced social and intellectual development in the society. It goes on to say that a society develops from barbarism to civilisation. Therefore, the more civilised a society, the less the chance of a violent conflict.

    Now if you meant civilisational conflict as a conflict between two advanced societies, not just technologically advanced, but also intellectually, then the solution should be easy to find. In a civilised society one would expect a great many number of intellectuals, who can sit down and rationally and sanely think about a strategy to resolve a conflict. Thus, there should be no reason to resort to acts of barbarism, such as what we currently see in the middle east and elsewhere in the world.

    If the statements above hold strength, then we must pause to think whether the developed nations of the world that have scaled new heights in technology, that have sent men to moon, that have the power to create life from biological matter, are indeed truly civilised as they claim to be. The "conflicts of civilisation" that we see today, and that we have seen for millennia, invariably seem to take the same path to destruction.

    I am not sure if I answered your question, it looks like I was just thinking out loud. I welcome your view.

    By Blogger Vasu, at 9:41 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Would it not be wonderful if all intellectuals are sane and rational? :)

    I am somewhat perplexed to see some of the smartest scientists and philosophers of culturally advanced nations like Nazi Germany cud resort to barbaric practices too...

    Perhaps the problem lies in the hearts of man, not the intellect?

    By Blogger The Hedonese, at 11:49 PM, August 06, 2006  

  • Dear Hedonese,
    The problem lies in the mind (which is related to the intellect) I think. If we all listened to our hearts (or soul - call it what you may) we may never have the wars that we have today. The mind is so clouded with opinions, views and prejudices that it is incapable of listening to the heart. Again my mind which says this is itself clouded and conditioned by what I have read and experienced :)

    By Blogger Vasu, at 2:17 PM, August 08, 2006  

  • Indeed, each of us is clouded by the conditions surrounding us and by our finitude.

    Not only that, when we look inside our own souls in moments of dead honesty we find shocking prejudices and greed and lusts so deeply entrenched alongside what is beautiful, true and noble.

    Man is a walking contradiction.

    Evil is not found outside in the world outside, not in political systems or economic arrangements perse. A more fundamental issue is the line of good and evil that runs thru our own hearts, that we find wars within our very souls.

    WIth such an analysis of the sickness, the cure has to go beyond looking within for our salvation... but to look upwards :)

    By Blogger The Hedonese, at 10:02 PM, November 08, 2006  

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