Mind Matters Natural and Artificial Intelligence News and Analysis

TagPsychedelics

magnetic-resonance-imaging-of-the-brain-stockpack-adobe-stock
Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain

Claim: What consciousness studies needs is more Darwinism

The Darwinian view of the evolution of the human mind is, at best, a ladder with no upper rungs

Writing at Psychology Today in 2020, University of Toronto psychiatrist Ralph Lewis told us, We have already known for a long time from clinical neurology and from my own field, clinical psychiatry, that without a shadow of a doubt there is no aspect of the mind that is not entirely the product of, and utterly dependent on, the physical brain. Disruption, disassembly or enhancement of brain circuitry (subtle or major) can radically alter any aspect of the mind. And yet the mystery of how exactly the brain produces consciousness has remained unexplained. Ralph Lewis, “What Actually Is Consciousness, and How Did It Evolve?”, Psychology Today, September 2020 (updated October 7, 2023) Lewis thought that evolution explains consciousness: “Once we shed Read More ›

gray-maze-with-mechanic-brain-stockpack-adobe-stock
Gray maze with mechanic brain

Mysteries of the Mind

It’s hard to know where the brain ends and the mind begins. How can studying our brains give us insight into our minds? Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg and neurosurgeon Michael Egnor sit down for a chat about all things brain related including neurotheology, methods of studying the brain, and other mind/brain phenomena. Additional Resources Andrew Newberg’s Website Michael Egnor at Discovery.org Read More ›

mind-energy-stockpack-adobe-stock
Mind Energy

Phenomena of the Mind

Endless mysteries dwell inside and outside the brain, and it’s hard to know where the brain ends and the mind begins. Dr. Michael Egnor and Dr. Andrew Newberg discuss near death experiences, speaking in tongues, and many more mysteries of the mind. Show Notes 00:23 | Near Death Experiences 04:17 | Limitations of the Brain 08:06 | Negative Encounters within Read More ›

light-rays-through-the-black-window-toned-photo-stockpack-adobe-stock.jpg
Light rays through the black window. Toned photo

Can LSD Help Us Understand the Mind–Brain Relationship?

Is the mind generated by the brain or does the brain merely focus the mind on the current scene? An experiment sheds some light

In a fascinating article inThe Guardian titled “Acid test: scientists show how LSD opens doors of perception,” science editor Ian Sample discusses recent research on the mechanism by which LSD alters the brain and the mind. He begins by quoting Aldous Huxley (1894–1963) who noted that LSD “lowers the efficiency of the brain as an instrument for focusing the mind on the problems of life.” Remarkably, recent work in neuroscience supports Huxley’s view. The research, conducted at Cornell University, confirms what has been called the Rebus model of psychedelics. Rebus is a rough acronym for “relaxed beliefs under psychedelics”; the model proposes that the brain is essentially a prediction engine for daily life. In this model, the brain processes information Read More ›