Fear Not [Preview]

Anxieties can be strongly etched into the brain. But don¿t worry--researchers may find ways to erase them














Share on Tumblr



Image:

It is a remarkable achievement that today, at least in developed countries, we seldom encounter any natural, fear-evoking situations. We are not likely to meet up with snakes or crocodiles or to find ourselves without shelter during a storm. But in our efforts to command nature and our fellow human beings, we have created new hazards: highways and greenhouse gases, machine guns and bioterrorism, and the social pressures of failure and embarrassment. That these dangers are not immediate enough to evoke real fear for most people is scarcely a blessing; the anxieties of modern life can be debilitating. "Perhaps man is the most fearful of all creatures," comments Irenäus Eibl-Eibesfeldt, anthropologist emeritus at the Max Planck Institute of Behavioral Physiology in Seewiesen, Germany, "because along with such elementary fears as those of predators, he also suffers from an intellectually grounded fear of existence."

More intellectual work, however, might free us from this burden. Research into how the brain transmits, sustains, and remembers fears and anxieties is providing clues about how to control or even eliminate them. Understanding the demon will help us overcome it.


This article was originally published with the title Fear Not.



Buy This Issue
If your institution has site license access, enter here.

2 Comments

Add Comment
View
  1. 1. judynz 06:37 PM 9/7/08

    As scientist work toward freeing us from the burden of fear the Leaders will ratchet up their efforts to create fear to divide & conquer....Control.
    All societies have a basis of fear setting up the belief that those in power are better equipt to know what & when to do.
    However anyone can command the electromagnetic energy within to create a shield of protection about themselves & their homes etc....& train yourself through observation to believe in it.
    This energy is more powerful than anything any Scientist can generate.
    Fear can breakdown its potency. According to your faith it is done unto you. It was written long ago but translated by religions to undermine the masses.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
  2. 2. timmw1 in reply to judynz 01:40 PM 5/5/11

    Where is this written? I'd like to read it.

    Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this
Leave this field empty

Add a Comment

You must sign in or register as a ScientificAmerican.com member to submit a comment.
Click one of the buttons below to register using an existing Social Account.

More from Scientific American

Follow Us:

See what we're tweeting about

Scientific American MIND

More »

Free Newsletters


Get the best from Scientific American in your inbox

Solve Innovation Challenges

Powered By: Innocentive

  SA Digital

Latest from SA Blog Network

  SA Digital

Science Jobs of the Week

Email this Article

Fear Not: Scientific American Mind

X
Scientific American Mind

Subscribe Today

Save 66% off the cover price and get a free gift!

Learn More >>

X

Please Log In

Forgot: Password

X

Account Linking

Welcome, . Do you have an existing ScientificAmerican.com account?

Yes, please link my existing account with for quick, secure access.



Forgot Password?

No, I would like to create a new account with my profile information.

Create Account
X

Report Abuse

Are you sure?

X

Institutional Access

It has been identified that the institution you are trying to access this article from has institutional site license access to Scientific American on nature.com. To access this article in its entirety through site license access, click below.

Site license access
X

Error

X

Share this Article

X