Comments for Psych Controversies

Comment on Controversy #1: Neural Plasticity, Miracle or Banality? by jtm

jtm — Thu, 20 May 2010 23:02:33 +0000

Hi Russell, I think you misunderstood what I meant by my sentence on dualists being impressed by the changing of the physical brain with training. They are impressed because it is a novel or counter-intuitive idea, going AGAINST their default conception that there exists a non-physical mind that is completely seperate from the physical world (i.e. dualism), by implying that training the “mind” can also change the brain. Of course, it is only the brain that is being changed, but marketers will play into people’s dualism anyway. In this way, they can make it appear that change in the physical brain is something remarkable, when in fact it is something completely banal that happens to everyone of us everyday.

Comment on Controversy #1: Neural Plasticity, Miracle or Banality? by Russell

Russell — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 02:49:55 +0000

I don’t think the way that you have phrased the following is very good:

‘People being natural dualists, are impressed by pronouncements that if one can “Train the Mind” it will “Change the Brain”, according to the title of one bestseller.’

I don’t think you have made the right distinction. It is monoism that asserts the brain and mind are the same entity, therefore people are not dualists if they think ’successfully’ changing the mind will change the brain.

I agree that many people might be mistaken about the extent of which one can successfully change the mind/brain, but I don’t agree that this mistake relates to a dualist belief.

Comment on Controversy #2: Causes of the Person-Situation Debate by jtm

jtm — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:48:16 +0000

I might address similar topics in the future, but I would suggest that for now you should check our the references for further reading. Most of them are excellent articles.

Comment on Controversy #2: Causes of the Person-Situation Debate by KonstantinMiller

KonstantinMiller — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 21:30:08 +0000

Hi! I like your srticle and I would like very much to read some more information on this issue. Will you post some more?

Comment on Controversy #2: Causes of the Person-Situation Debate by Sara

Sara — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 22:43:03 +0000

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