Do you think you could function properly if for some reason, your thought patterns, changed to those of another?

I'm sure many of you people have seen others mention things like how we will never know if everyone sees the same colour. Like, you may see what I have labeled as RED and call it GREEN, simply because thats the label you've been tought for that colour. Well this kinda ties into that. [in a way]

We will never know if everyone thinks the same. Hell, I know that everyone thinks in different ways, but do you think it could be completely possible that everyones way of think is completely obscure when compared to someone elses?

Ill use programming as an example. Lest say you have two programmers, who only program in one language, and know no others. PG-1 knows only C++ and PG-2 knows only VB.

Now, both of them go ahead and make a program, that, for example, removes pop up windows. They make the GUI's look the same, they give it all the same options and features and everything.

The end product, and their abilities where both equal in this little example. However, if you show PG-1's code [C++] to PG-2, PG-2 won't know what the hell hes looking at. And if you told PG-2 that from this day forth he must begin programming in only C++, he'd be fucked. [of course when it comes to programming you can get a book, but you get the idea]

I'm wondering, if I was to one day take on the thought patterns of a friend, would I be able to function normally? Would I have to learn how to speak again, learn how to walk, learn everything? For all we know, my brain stores its info on walking over here, and my friend stores his info on walking over there.

Perhaps when I went to move my arm, I would yell 'covertinpapple!'. Simply because I'm used to accessing this type of info over here, but only he may use that piece to yell things. [like covertinpapple]

It's kind of hard to imagine trying to move your arm and yelling, simply because we don't have to actually think to do things like move, and speak and such. However, when we do them, or brin is actually being told to retrieve some sort of info, and then it does so, and we get the result.

So, what do you think? Am I just nuts or what?

[This message has been edited by SomeEverydayNobody (edited 12-30-2002).]

Oh, and just to add. this may be why soem people naturally can grasp things better then others. Using the programming example, PG-1 will be able to more then PG-2, because his way of programming [C++] is more powerful then VB.

Maybe the reasons oem people can't understand thigns, is because whatever thoughts patterns they have learned to use over time, are simply not as well organized, or as open to as much oprutinity as soemone with better thought patterns.

Maybe when we begin to learn things, our brain just kinda shoves thigns wherever, seeing as how we're young. So if our parents start teaching us things at a young age, our brain might go, 'hey wait, why am I storing info on walking in this big space, when Im just gonna be covering it up by math? Ill move my walkign info into the corner here'. Now obviously Im not purposing that the brains imply in a matter of seconds relocates everything, but it may slowly re-organize itself.

Now, lets say a kid isnt taught much of anything when they're young. Th brain may never have any need/desire to relocate info, so when they get a few years older, and need to learn it, they may have troubles, because now the brain is to used to its thought patterns, so it can't change them.

Just an idea.....

i do believe u would be labled as insane. which brings up the point could insane people just be people who have went though what u just decribed?

Thats a good point.

As you notice a lot of crazy people, hell most of them, would probably be described by their family as normal, up until one point when they just started acting bonkers. [happened to my uncle when he was like 15] Maybe something just triggered in their brain, and it started re-organizing a few things. The end result being confusion at times, and an inability to function properly.

Never thought of that.....

No.

Everyone's brains are different, as brain cells (neurons) branch out differently in each brain according to which things are "thought" most. Brain cells grow accordingly to each person's thought pattern. In short, each person's brain is "wired up" for their own thoughts.

If the minds were to switch, the results would be catastrophic. I'm positive that it would be almost impossible for it to work.

--lynxtor

What if somehow, there was an open ended translation system involved? I think the mind doesn't work like NEURAL CLUSTER 000451 ACTIVATE = RAISE ARM, but instead operates from the desired action and then moves backwards. Which fits neatly into people with motor control difficulties, like Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and the like. The command lines have to go through inefficient or damaged pathways, so the signal is corrupted.

I think that if two people's minds were switched, there would be a short period of confusion and neural misfire while the correct command paths are rediscovered and hooked up. Though depending on different physical characteristics, the time of 'recalibration' could take longer in the event of a major difference. And much longer than that if it was a switch of minds between a male and female.

Theres a slight problem with your example. If you know one high level language (EX:C++) you can figure out the basics of another language.
I as of know only really know C++ and some basic. But that doesnt mean I can't look at Perl or mirc scripting and figure out what was going on. True if you told me from this day on I could only program in Pascal I might freak, however in a matter of days I could write a simple program with out looking at a book.

SpaceFalcon, it was just an example. I get what you mean, in the sense of programming, but really, the example was just there to more easily clarify what I was tyring to say.

But yeah, you're right aboutC++.

I think SpaceFalcon's example applies equally well to the brain. Us being of the same species, there are necessarily some major similarities in our manner of functioning. It is evident in that we can communicate with each other at all. Granted, the details would need to be worked out.

I doubt the example of a child who 'doesn't learn anything.' No person learns nothing. If a child grows on the streets, he learns the streets. Now, taking this example might show something. The street child & the child who grows in a sheltered mansion have fundamental difficulties in finding concurrence. Their drives are different, & how they see life is different. It has to do with their experiences.

I don't think of the brain as a place to store things. When I learn something, I feel that I am subtracted something. I'm removing the walls & barriers to that skill or ability which was already there. I think of the brain as a bodily device which filters down the necessary from the universal, leaving me with what I need here & now. If I were dropped into another persons thought flow, I imagine I would suddenly find myself desiring different things. Fears & apprehensions would be different. What I'm willing to do would be different.

I don't think there is any 'format' different between human beings. The exception here might be cultural division. Do an asian & a caucasion have the same methods of thinking? Probably not, they are built by thousands of years of built culture.

Hi!

My thought patterns are sporadic and I probably could be classified as hyper, or bipolar. So everything seems and feels weird to me.

Sometimes words that are just plain jibberish and I feel like yelling them out. Sometimes words sound unreal.

Sometimes, I look at things and they just look really strange.

Just contributing.

Jr.