PREMATURE PROJECTION
How can we know just how much of the brain is used when we do not know how to fix it and we know so little about it? With the possible exception of the pancreas, is there another organ about which we can do so little?
The human brain is general in its ability and it is specific/individual in its ability. Very few people over the age of 18 cannot drive, ride a bike or make coffee. Let us say we have three people in their early twenties who can do all three tasks just mentioned without any problem. Let us say, two of the people can work simple equations and one of them can work trigonometry equations easily. Does that mean that the one gifted in math uses more of his/her brain? Yes.
Trigonometry is the branch of math concerned with triangles and relationships of angles and sides.
I confess, at this very moment, that I know nothing of trigonometry. I can envision a triangle within my mind. But I know nothing of the formulas for trigonometry.
Let us say, that at this moment, I am only using 10 percent of my brain. After I take the time to teach myself trigonometry, will I be using more percentage of my brain?
Spatial intelligence allows for the transforming of mental images. This very thought makes me think that there is “more room” for projecting mental images. I wonder if the less spatial have only shots of chemical actions and reactions spitting bits and pieces of details, while the more spatial have a type of broad chemical action which allows the transforming of mental images. As though the more spatial use more brain cells. Is it because they have more or because their minds were conditioned to expect more from their brains?
First of all, one needs to know what percentage of the brain that the five senses use. Hearing. Touching. Seeing. Smelling. Tasting. These five actions require reactions in the brain. And all human beings do these things, unless they have a disability such as blindness or deafness. Still, there are those who theorize that disabled people’s minds and senses make up for the disability. Perhaps they use more of their brains?
Second of all, there is the action of reading. I don’t think of reading as such a simple task. When I am reading difficult material, my brain works harder than if I am reading something emotionally gratifying, like poetry. But does that mean that I am using more of my brain?
Thirdly, while multi-tasking, are we not using more of our brains? If I am reading a book (silently) and singing at the same time, am I not using more of my brain?
Fourthly, when a person deemed organically mentally ill is given medication, and that medication dulls a part of that person’s brain, say, to prevent hallucinations, does the brain make up for the loss?
According to infoplease.com, we use 100% of our brains at all times. But if that is so, then why can I do poorly on a test at 7:30 in the morning and yet, had I taken it at 3:00 p.m., I would’ve passed it? Was I using less of my brain at 7:00 a.m.?
While I am unsure of the percentage of my brain that I actually use, I am sure that man knows very little compared to what he could know about the human brain and how much of it is used. However, I believe the general rule would be well over 10 percent and 100 percent would apply to a sober, awake and comfortable human being.
