Comments for Just One Thing http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com Practices for greater happiness, love and wisdom Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:23:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Comment on How Did Humans Become Empathic? by Virtual empathy http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/13/how-did-humans-become-empathic/#comment-12 Virtual empathy Sat, 15 Jan 2011 22:23:27 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=10#comment-12 [...] Evolution postulates that all that makes us had to fight for survival down through the generations. Our hominid ancestors developed strong internal “band teamwork” which allowed them to share resources and cooperate even while competing with other bands of competing hominids. Those bands who were better at this succeeded, and empathy in those continued to develop in the 100,000 of generations since. As the brain capacity and size increased, so did it’s resources, and empathy has continued to play a role. So to, it would seem is in-group/out-group behavior. [...] [...] Evolution postulates that all that makes us had to fight for survival down through the generations. Our hominid ancestors developed strong internal “band teamwork” which allowed them to share resources and cooperate even while competing with other bands of competing hominids. Those bands who were better at this succeeded, and empathy in those continued to develop in the 100,000 of generations since. As the brain capacity and size increased, so did it’s resources, and empathy has continued to play a role. So to, it would seem is in-group/out-group behavior. [...]

]]> Comment on How Did Humans Become Empathic? by Sue http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/13/how-did-humans-become-empathic/#comment-11 Sue Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:27:29 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=10#comment-11 Very interesting information. As a Speech Language Pathologist ,I have always wondered about the connection between language development and empathy. I think from my experiences I have concluded the less language ability you have ,the less ability you have to be empathic-I could be wrong. Cognition and language are so closely related that it all goes together. Question then; when someone seems to have no conscious-or remorse what is going on? Can this be retrained in older individuals older brains? Very interesting information. As a Speech Language Pathologist ,I have always wondered about the connection between language development and empathy. I think from my experiences I have concluded the less language ability you have ,the less ability you have to be empathic-I could be wrong. Cognition and language are so closely related that it all goes together.
Question then; when someone seems to have no conscious-or remorse what is going on? Can this be retrained in older individuals older brains?

]]> Comment on How Did Humans Become Empathic? by Boris Witzenfeld http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/13/how-did-humans-become-empathic/#comment-10 Boris Witzenfeld Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:43:05 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=10#comment-10 I find it very interesting that you wrote about the importance of empathy and how it relates to human behavior. The company I work for (Y Touring Theatre Company) creates plays that help young people explore scientific issues through debate. The young people in the audience watch one of our plays, feel empathy for the characters in the story and then debate around the scientific and ethical issues brought up in the story, without our audience feeling empathy for the characters we couldn't have a debate. We have been doing this for 21 years and to celebrate have made a blog about it, please take a look. http://www.theatreofdebate.com/ytouring21/Blog/Blog.php I find it very interesting that you wrote about the importance of empathy and how it relates to human behavior.
The company I work for (Y Touring Theatre Company) creates plays that help young people explore scientific issues through debate. The young people in the audience watch one of our plays, feel empathy for the characters in the story and then debate around the scientific and ethical issues brought up in the story, without our audience feeling empathy for the characters we couldn’t have a debate.
We have been doing this for 21 years and to celebrate have made a blog about it, please take a look.
http://www.theatreofdebate.com/ytouring21/Blog/Blog.php

]]> Comment on The Wolf of Hate by Sleeping Crow http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/12/the-wolf-of-hate/#comment-9 Sleeping Crow Thu, 14 Oct 2010 04:06:40 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=9#comment-9 A fascinating, informative and fun post. There is wisdom in this piece. I've attached a URL that points to a small piece describing how my nation interprets the lesson of the "wolf inside." To my knowledge, this is a fairly common and consistent learning story among many of our people. URL: http://www.scribd.com/doc/38797544/Lesson-of-the-Wolf Thanks again for the post. A fascinating, informative and fun post. There is wisdom in this piece. I’ve attached a URL that points to a small piece describing how my nation interprets the lesson of the “wolf inside.” To my knowledge, this is a fairly common and consistent learning story among many of our people.

URL: http://www.scribd.com/doc/38797544/Lesson-of-the-Wolf

Thanks again for the post.

]]> Comment on The Wolf of Hate by Patrick Clarkin http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/12/the-wolf-of-hate/#comment-8 Patrick Clarkin Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:39:28 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=9#comment-8 Thanks for reminding us that humans and other primates are primarily social, cooperative animals. The conflict may grab the headlines, but virtually everything that we do (even war itself) requires some degree of cooperation, whether it is between individuals or groups. Thanks for reminding us that humans and other primates are primarily social, cooperative animals. The conflict may grab the headlines, but virtually everything that we do (even war itself) requires some degree of cooperation, whether it is between individuals or groups.

]]> Comment on The Brain in a Bucket by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/8/the-brain-in-a-bucket/#comment-3 Rick Hanson, Ph.D. Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:28:18 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=4#comment-3 You've asked largely the same excellent question as you did for my other <a href="http://wp.me/p10WLC-6" rel="nofollow">post on synapses</a>, and so my reply there would apply here as well. Additionally, when you write about new neurons growing, there is indeed neurogenesis - brand-new neurons being born, not just new connections forming among existing neurons - in the hippocampus. It's possible that some of the increased structure in the hippocampus noted in the study on London taxi drivers involved some of those baby neurons. -Rick You’ve asked largely the same excellent question as you did for my other post on synapses, and so my reply there would apply here as well. Additionally, when you write about new neurons growing, there is indeed neurogenesis – brand-new neurons being born, not just new connections forming among existing neurons – in the hippocampus. It’s possible that some of the increased structure in the hippocampus noted in the study on London taxi drivers involved some of those baby neurons. -Rick

]]> Comment on 5000 Synapses in the Width of a Hair by Rick Hanson, Ph.D. http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/9/5000-synapses-in-the-width-of-a-hair/#comment-7 Rick Hanson, Ph.D. Tue, 21 Sep 2010 21:25:31 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=6#comment-7 Great question! Certain layers in the hippocampus get measurably thicker due to increased synaptic connections involving both the dendrites of "receiving" neurons and the terminal buttons of "sending" neurons. And even without getting thicker by adding new synapses, neural circuits that are particularly busy due to the flows of mental activity become more sensitive and influential in the brain as a whole through increased sensitivity of existing synapses, and alterations in gene expression. It's pretty exciting to learn more and more about how the mind can change the brain. -Rick Great question! Certain layers in the hippocampus get measurably thicker due to increased synaptic connections involving both the dendrites of “receiving” neurons and the terminal buttons of “sending” neurons. And even without getting thicker by adding new synapses, neural circuits that are particularly busy due to the flows of mental activity become more sensitive and influential in the brain as a whole through increased sensitivity of existing synapses, and alterations in gene expression. It’s pretty exciting to learn more and more about how the mind can change the brain. -Rick

]]> Comment on The Brain in a Bucket by mrgardon http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/8/the-brain-in-a-bucket/#comment-2 mrgardon Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:19:11 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=4#comment-2 When you mention "formation of new neural structures" are you talking about new neurons growing or just new pathways forming as a result of now being where they were not before? When you mention “formation of new neural structures” are you talking about new neurons growing or just new pathways forming as a result of now being where they were not before?

]]> Comment on 5000 Synapses in the Width of a Hair by mrgardon http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/9/5000-synapses-in-the-width-of-a-hair/#comment-6 mrgardon Mon, 20 Sep 2010 21:09:28 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=6#comment-6 What makes the hippocampus thicker in taxi drivers after their training? Are there new neurons formed, new dendrites, axon, synapse? Is it possible that the neurons along with all of its part become thicker or take on new characteristics with use? What makes the hippocampus thicker in taxi drivers after their training? Are there new neurons formed, new dendrites, axon, synapse? Is it possible that the neurons along with all of its part become thicker or take on new characteristics with use?

]]> Comment on 5000 Synapses in the Width of a Hair by Hairtransplant http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/9/5000-synapses-in-the-width-of-a-hair/#comment-5 Hairtransplant Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:44:50 +0000 http://yourwisebrain.scienceblog.com/?p=6#comment-5 How to make hair grow lengthy within a week? How to make hair grow lengthy within a week?

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