Behavioral evolution. The field of neuroscience contains the tools that most interest me in terms of searching for patterns in the evolution of behavior. The nervous system – central and peripheral – guides all the other systems of the body through interaction with the world. From the primitive neural web of the cnidarian to the ganglia of the higher animal, it is interaction with the world that makes us what we are. I love neuroscience for attempting to associate corporeal and ethereal phenomena. I love seeking out the physiological correlates of consciousness, and the pathological correlates of behavioral dysfunction. I crave the abstraction of physiology into a medium for mind and consciousness. My own autonomic system excites when connections are made between the evolution of that medium and the evolution of the intelligence it propagates.
Monday, August 31, 2009
why neuroscience?
In preparation for meeting with the future of my academic career next week, I set about answering some silly interview questions. The first of these was, naturally, "why do you want to do research in neuroscience?" So I thought I'd share it, as this is the first time I think I've even put it coherently to myself...
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nice dude! that's a good reason to like something.
ReplyDeleteThat was very eloquently stated.
ReplyDeleteI suppose what brought me into the field of neuroscience was a fascination with how powerfully affective such poorly understood neurological processes can be on a person’s character. Neural plasticity is an area of great interest to me, particularly with respect to psychiatry. While current non-pharmacological models are beneficial in treatment, they are of a nature directly related to the illness. The future of treatment, I believe (as I intend to incorporate it into my own practice one day), is in elegantly creative applications of brain stimulation with tasks that may not seem to be obviously correlated with the goal of treatment. Simply put, I want to know what is going on inside people’s heads. I am absolutely fascinated with understanding why people make the decisions they do, especially the apparently minor ones.
jennifer riley should read blink if she hasn't already. its by malcolm gladwell and its all about how we make split second desicions. really awesome
ReplyDeleteJennifer - thank you for your comment. I love the way you phrased your hopes for the future of treatment. Neuroplasticity - particularly provoked by neurobiofeedback mechanisms - is very high on my list of interests. It's aligned with the research I'm doing right now, and I hope becomes a part of my career after graduate school.
ReplyDeleteLiz - I think I should probably read Blink, too... it reminds me of the concept of blindsight, something I wrote about in a seriously old post... somewhere in this blog.
hell yeah you should. i'll lend it to you if ya want.
ReplyDelete