Embed Doc
Copy Link
Readcast
Collections

CommentGo Back

Download

Revisiting the relationship between mind and genes as a first steptowards understanding the origins of the contemporary humanmind, its current functioning and problems

By Sadia Tariq, Raza Kazim and Iram Tauqir

Abstract

This paper aims to explore in detail how the genetic process is responsible for theformation and functioning of the contemporary human mind and the complex andelaborate problems it has created both within and outside of itself. The existing mindof an individual is essentially an unconsciously formed gene-based mental complexwhose formation and functioning is largely controlled and dominated by a two-wayconnection between his genes and mental processes. Due to this the mentalautonomy he experiences is more of an illusion than reality.A brain gene, in addition to the protein template, also contains a non-biologicalmental template or code made of pre-big bang light quantum energy forms, whichprogramme the brain cells to produce mental processes. There seem to be two mainvarieties of mental templates or mental genes in human beings and numerousspecific sub-types within each variety. One, which contain the template for lowerorder mental functions (habits, temperament, basic emotional positions, motivationsand agendas, and self-centered intelligence) which we share with animals and otherliving things. The other which do not contain the template for a specific function butonly the template for a higher order mental capability (say of complex reasoning andintellectual processing, and developed sensitivities) unique to human beings andwhich is concretized through a highly developed and on-going learning process. Theexisting gene-based mind of man is an evolved product of the dynamic andinterconnected functioning of all the varieties and sub-varieties of mental genes andbrain processes, in a many-sided interaction with the environment. And in our viewour mental processes and their experiences have a communication process in placewith our mental genes (at the nonverbal and unaware level) and also the capability to

modify them. In fact this communication process is probably the mechanics of mentalevolution in general, in living things.Apart from the proposed involvement of non-biological processes in the formationand functioning of mental processes we are also speculating their involvement, intandem with the biological processes, in the genetic functioning related to the body.To give some examples, the overall design of the biological body contained in thegene could be existing in terms of a non-biological process, they could be involved inthe process of genetic mutations, signaling processes of non-coding RNA whichregulate protein synthesis and epigenetic inheritance systems in cells. In fact it wasprobably this non-biological process which combined with the complex pre-geneorganic molecule to give birth to the gene itself as a stable process which then wenton to make the initial stable cellular structures in evolution.The motivation behind our inquiry is to incrementally replace the existing unintelligentmental software and programme in our mental genes, with an intelligent software notcontrolled by the genes but by our advanced intellectual and emotional processes. Itis this transition within an individual which will enable him to intelligently cope withand find long-term solutions to his problems.

1. Introduction

Today, more than ever, one needs to cut through the many-sided and many-layeredcomplexity of contemporary human life and get down to the bare bones so as to geta more clear picture of the current human state. This paper is one such attempt. Itsaim is not to provide definite answers or solutions but to raise more questions, issuesand maybe new lines of inquiry which can enable us to, as Theodore Zeldin (1996)says, change the spectacles through which we look at the world and ourselves. Themain proposition of this paper is that the fundamental causation of contemporaryconflicts, contradictions and problems within an individual and in his outer life lies inthe existing mechanics of the working of his mind, based on a deep-rooted and verycomplex two-way connection between his genetic process and his mind. Theinnumerable causes that are currently in vogue are in our view the secondary causeswhich emanate from this fundamental cause. It is the ignorance, neglect or half-

baked knowledge of this that adds to these current conflicts in our lives and alsobreeds the illusion of mental autonomy and free Will.Contemporary man has so far been looking for the roots of his problems andconflicts primarily outside of him

. Sometimes in the innumerable social (political,cultural, religious and economic) formations which have evolved during the period ofcivilization. At other times in the malfunctioning of the minds of other individuals. Inthe breakdown of morals, ethics, rules, regulations and laws. Then in material andtechnological progress which has made man’s interaction with the environmentexponentially complex, volatile and beyond his control.We are not denying the involvement of any of these factors and theirinterconnections in our search for the roots of our problems. In fact the currentcomplexity of human conflicts and problems and the numerous shapes and forms ithas acquired today would not have existed without these factors and theinnumerable permutations and combinations ensuing from each one of them (whichwe are not mentioning here). However, our plea is that entangling and occupyingourselves totally with these factors is not going to provide a long-term and seriousresolution of the problems which plague us today. We need to emotionally andintellectually grasp the urgency and logical necessity of exploring anotherindispensable and fundamental factor that we have so far neglected—the role of thegenetic process in the formation and functioning of our highly sophisticated andapparently autonomous mental complex and in making us what we are.Today there is no dispute that man’s genetic network in a complex interaction withthe environment has given birth to his mind and we are continuing to unravel thedetails of how this process actually takes place in its specifics. However, most of thereigning ideas and concepts about the connection and relationship between thegenes and the mind of human beings propose an indirect and somewhat vagueconnection between the two processes. The vagueness in our opinion could be theresult of two factors. One, the fear that if we accept a significant role of genes in ourmental life then we will need to say farewell to our cherished notions and concepts ofmental autonomy and free will, which are what make us human. Two, the tons and

Distortions, disorders and conflicts within the mind, personality and body are viewed as consequences of external influences and complexity

of 00

4.1. The evolution of body and the brain processes; formation of for Mind and Genes, Jun 2009

This document is a paper written for the annual
'Toward a Science of consciousness'(TSC)confer ence held from Jun 11-14,2009 in Hong Kong. It's abstract was chosen for poster p... (More)

Download or Print

748 Reads

Info and Rating

Category:	Uncategorized.
Rating:
Upload Date:	06/19/2009
Copyright:	Attribution Non-commercial
Tags:	intelligence genes consciousness mind Humanities mental processes mental genes (more tags) intelligence genes consciousness mind Humanities mental processes mental genes nonbiological (fewer)