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Summary

The new science of mind integrates psychology, brain biology, and molecular biology to explore life's mysteries through five foundational principles that link brain activity, neural circuits, and evolutionary processes.

Abstract

The new science of mind represents a convergence of disciplines, including psychology and neurobiology, propelled by significant biological discoveries such as the structure of DNA and brain imaging technology. It is grounded in the belief that the mind is a complex set of operations performed by the brain, which are realized through specific neural circuits composed of nerve cells. These circuits function through particular signaling molecules, some of which have been preserved over billions of years of evolution and are shared with primitive organisms. This field offers insights into human perception, learning, memory, emotion, and behavior, while also providing a biological evolutionary context for understanding the self.

Opinions

  • The mind is considered inseparable from the brain, with the latter constructing sensory experiences and regulating thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
  • All psychological activities, from simple reflexes to complex creative behaviors, are attributed to distinct neural circuits within the brain.
  • Neural circuits are built from nerve cells, which serve as the fundamental signaling units in the brain.
  • The specific molecules involved in signaling within and between nerve cells have been conserved throughout evolution, suggesting a deep connection across living organisms.
  • The new science of mind not only enhances our understanding of mental processes but also situates human cognition within the broader context of biological evolution.

Five Basic Principles of the New Science of Mind

The new science of mind is a comprehensive subject that combines traditional disciplines involving the mind such as psychology and brain biology. Its development relies on major breakthroughs in the field of biology. For example, in 1953, James Watson and others published the structure of DNA, 20 The development of brain imaging technology in the 1980s.

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

The new science of mind harnesses the power of molecular biology to investigate life’s great mysteries. based on the following five principles:

1. Mind and brain are inseparable. Just like walking is a set of operations performed by the legs, the mind is a set of operations performed by the brain, but it is more complex. The brain not only constructs our sensory experience, but also regulates our thoughts and emotions, and controls our behavior.

2. Every psychological activity of the brain is realized by neural circuits specific to different regions of the brain. From the simplest conditioned reflexes to creative behaviors in the fields of language, music, and art, there are no exceptions.

3. These circuits are made of nerve cells. This is the common basic signaling unit.

4. Neural circuits generate signals within nerve cells and between cells through specific molecules.

5. Over billions of years of evolution, these specific signaling molecules have been preserved and remain intact. Some of these molecules are found not only in the cells of our oldest ancestors, but also in living primitive organisms such as bacteria. These organisms use the same molecules that we use to navigate our daily lives and adapt to the environment around us, as they develop strategies to survive in their environment.

So from this new science of mind, we gain not only insights into how we perceive, learn, remember, feel, and act, but also a new perspective on understanding ourselves within the context of biological evolution.

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