Being able to map the brain's various regions and functions is part and parcel of understanding the possible side effects should a given region begin to fail. Experts know that neurons that perform similar functions tend to cluster together. For example, neurons that control the thumb's movement are arranged next to those that control the forefinger. Thus, when undertaking brain surgery, neurosurgeons carefully avoid neural clusters related to vision, hearing and movement, enabling the brain to retain as many of its functions as possible.
What's not understood is how clusters of neurons from the diverse regions of the brain collaborate to form consciousness. So far, there's no evidence that there is one site for consciousness, which leads experts to believe that it is truly a collective neural effort. Another mystery hidden within our crinkled cortices is that out of all the brain's cells, only 10 percent are neurons; the other 90 percent are glial cells, which encapsulate and support neurons, but whose function remains largely unknown. Ultimately, it's not that we use 10 percent of our brains, merely that we only understand about 10 percent of how it functions.
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68 Comments
Add CommentFunny how it's believed too but at the same time people believe in left-right hemispheres belief, which would only debunk the 10% myth. Plus I heard various percentages of our brain use going as low as 2%!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe persistence of this obviously fallacious argument on sociocultural thinking is a clear reminder for intellectually sincere individuals on how important the role of our substantiation to rationalism is for the urgent substitution of folklore with scientific facts.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYes, but now tell me, how can I use more than 10 % of my brain? What do I have to do? Some body knows it?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.snopes.com/science/stats/10percent.asp
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"One reason this myth has endured is that it has been adopted by psychics ... to explain psychic powers"
I wander how it is possible to give a value on the use of the brain, when we still dont know how it really works. As I see it, the brain perform several function at the same time, of which there are the most important:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTHE FIRST
· Organise and coordinate the elements and organs of the body in order to maintain a self unity
· Organise and coordinate our senses in order to maintain a continuous relationship with our environment.
The brain deals both of those performances (that we are sharing with other animals), unconsciously.
THE SECOND is the conscious and intellectual part, that help our reasoning and I believe deal with the exploitation the article is about.
THE THIRD is often ignored but nonetheless it play an important role in the activity of the brain, it is the necessity for the brain to always keep, in itself, a good equilibrium in order to adequately perform the fist and second tasks, and this can only be done by maintaining a fair balance of randomness
At a guess, if I was asked to give to each task a percentage of the overall activity I would give 8% to the first, 2% to the second, and 90% to the third, and would be very pleased, for my sense of balance, that the second is no more than two percent.
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Edited by ticinese5 at 02/13/2008 3:32 PM
This article does not address the real question: what percentage of our NEURONS do we use at any specific moment of time? The article only addresses the use of brain AREAS but not the total (or proportional) amount of brain cells in use on average. Does science know the answer to that question?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYes, but how about the percentage of usage we make out of this 10% of or brains? And how about brain storage? Is there a finite amount of information that our neurons can bear?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this""Yes, but now tell me, how can I use more than 10 % of my brain? What do I have to do? Some body knows it?"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPosted 2/10/08 by ingenieroale "
Well first off, did you even read the article?
The brain is highly adaptive but it comes at a sacrafice. When you have more brain power focused on knowledge....social abilities wane and suffer.
Think geek vs. jock. The issue is balace. As you strengthen on aspect it's best to strengthen the others as well. - Jimmy
> ""Yes, but now tell me, how can I use more than 10
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this> % of my brain? What do I have to do? Some body knows
> it?"
>
> Posted 2/10/08 by ingenieroale "
>
> Well first off, did you even read the article?
> The brain is highly adaptive but it comes at a
> sacrafice. When you have more brain power focused on
> knowledge....social abilities wane and suffer.
> Think geek vs. jock. The issue is balace. As you
> strengthen on aspect it's best to strengthen the
> others as well. - Jimmy
Did you even read the article? While it did say something of the adaptive nature of the brain, it didnt say anything about your 'geek vs jock' idea. The answer, to 'how do i use more than 10% of my brain' is simply to use it as you normally do, because the 10% thing is a myth.
I would say that focusing your attention anywhere specifically with any intensity, will of course leave your breadth of general understanding a little narrow. But sometimes, depth is far more favorable than breadth. This isn't completely on topic, so thats as far as I'll take that.
Back to the article though, I think maybe the intended meaning was originally something like 'you only use about 10% of your brain at any given time' which is also, not true. It is, however, closer to reality than the meaning conveyed here. You don't ever use all of your brain at once.
I believe there is a chance we can control our dreams with this 90% that we do not understand.....
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBased on what we do know about the brain, it has different parts with different functions. We use (according to the theory) only the parts of the brain related to accomplishing a certain task. We would not use the part of our brain associated with movement to recall an event from our childhood.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think if we used 100% of our brain for every task, we would experience a deep level of confusion, not power. Try to listen to (not just hear) someone speak and read a book at the same time; you are likely to fail to understand either the person or the book to the same as level if you did only one at a time.
I remember reading in an undergrad psychology class about a study in which the researchers progressively pared brain matter from rodents then measured their ability to run mazes. They were able to cut away quite a bit, though I don't remember if it was 90%, before noticing any significant change in behavior. I came away thinking that was the origin of the 10% rumor.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIs someone "smarter" during an epileptic seizure, when a high percentage of neurons are firing? Do elevated levels of certain processes in the brain mean we are using more of it ? The question "how much of our brain do we use" is a real red herring! Of course the simple answer is 100%!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe implied question is how well do we use our brain ? Could we increase intelligence by using our brains more effectively? It's a long leap from counting neurons firing, to speculating on intellectual capability or efficacy of brain use.
Without knowing how the brain works and how we use it, its somewhat pointless to speculate on percentages of neurons firing at any specific moment. This only measures one aspect of what is happening.
There are far too many unanswered questions, such as:
-What is a thought? How do we form a thought? How do we follow a line of reasoning? What gives rise to "smart" thinking ability? What is intelligence? What is consciousness?
-How do physical processes give rise to these things?
-Is it based solely on neurons firing? On how many are firing? On the patterns of firing? Is it merely higher levels of neurons firing that lead to greater intelligence?
-We experience emotions as part of our thought processes, clearly based it part on chemical interactions. How are emotions involved in intellect? Emotions certainly appear to be fundamental to musical and artistic expression, perhaps just as important in all cognitive processes.
-Is it also based on other chemical interactions (perhaps just as fundamentally)? How are glial cells involved (chemical interactions between glial cells and neurons are also known to take place)? Are glial cells the "dark matter" analogue when it comes to understanding the workings of the brain?
-There is likely yet be another component with a "dark energy" analogue. That is to say an even greater portion of the overall answer we dont yet even have an inkling of.
The article alludes to some of this. Certainly raw percentages of neurons firing in the brain as a whole is at best a very small and limited observation. More insight into any of the above questions would satisfy me much more, before leaping light years ahead to "could it be higher", without even knowing what the "it" is!
If we only understand "about 10 percent of how [the brain] functions," then how do we know that we don't use 100% of our brains all of the time? A further question would be, if we learn that we do not use 100% of our brains all of the time, what would happen if we did? Would our intelligence then increase? The brain is certainly a fascinating organ.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is honest experiential suggestion which is working for Me and millions across Globe.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGet to www.centerpointeresearchinstitute at Oregon, USA. They have awell reserched 12 Level course with Self Help Audio program called Holosynch.
I am at level Three just completing...all 12 levels would need over a year.
Beloieve me that at three level I feel my Brain has doubled power of intution, Love, compassion, Gratitude, Forgiveness...etc were words of wisdom only for me before I started. You will not regret. Do that cource if serious for Self Help. No Vested interest nor its a joke...pur science of Brain
Dreams are acts of subconscious. If you have developed Control on your Breath and Wave pattern of ALFA...or Beyond..Theta..Delta..you will be able to excercise a possible control for evoking Subconscious to Respond to your Dream needs. Waking state also it is same and you can achieve many Magical performances with BrainWaives controlled.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisEasy Method to attain lower Brain frequency...is to use self help Audio Program of HOLOSYNCH fron Centerpointe Research Institute USA
I has been suggested that activities like dancing, puzzles, or experimenting with cooking new recipes can incorporate several different groupings of neurons which requires the brain to function at greater capacities.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI agree that "it" is definitely a quandry. I am imagining that we might not be able to handle "it" if our brains were functioning at even 50% of capacity. We might be a bit overstimulated, active, or look totally obsurd attempting to function in our current environments. I think our current average capacities serve us best in our current schema.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou are on Dot...absolutely perfect as science stands today.
Spirituality has some thing to Add.
Under Meditative conditions Brain Frequency under goes SLOWER and Lowwer the Brain Frequency...better is Brain OUTPUT of Thoughts is already acknowledged by Sciece too.
In order to inprove quality of one's own Thoughts and Life determined by Actions, one has to adopt How his own Mind could be quietened. Controlling Temper, Hate, Jealosy...etc is advocated by Spiritual Gurus. I suggest state of the art simple to use Meditative CD with MP3 Player can do a wonder...I am a witness personally for my own Mind Control.
Brain frequency gets auto suggestion by the researched Low Frequency based music and within a short span Brain tries to follow induced wave form of lower frequency...it's that simple.
Divinity or Spirutiality has some hints on this issue.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGurus' advocate Mental Control...negative Emotions like Temper, Hate, Jealoucy etc eliminated... to improve quality of Life.
I believe with personal experience that lowering Brain Frequency..Thoughtless state ...could be achieved with Pranayama OR Meditation.
I have a simpler method to use a CD which has researched Diferrential frequency based Auto Suggestion to subconscious through MP 3 Audio with background Music of pleasant Feelings...this used one hour a day...can work wonders with Brain altering on its own... settling to lower frequency.
Scientists have approved that Subconscious wakes up with ALPHA level Frequency...and that's precisely is done by the CD. The Temper, Hate etc vanishes automatically ...Happiness within generates automatically.
Thoughts become pious and virtuous for one's own quality of life...That's the secret to optimise the brain...not to worry about Alpha frequency or Percentage of Brain Power ...split Hemishere of Left and Right Brain philosophy etc.
surely once the "facts" are in place, we would be left with a much less romantic world. A world where people do not feel the need to question "if its true or not". That is the only way that we do learn, and have discussions on things.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhen we do know all of the answers, how will we know? once we thought we knew that the earth was flat, that was a truth known to all.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhen we talk of the brain , it has to be very subjective , as size has nothing to do with intelligence nor does social status or education. If a genius is not educated , does that make him a genius still? the brain would not understand the written word or mathmatical problem solving, yet intelligence is still there. Modern theories indicate that the brain is like a muscle in your arm - use it or lose it. So if you lead an active life that is full of stimuli and mental chalenges then you will no doubt have a healthy brain - using the 100% that was stated. But if you do a repetative job , have little or no social life and do not take an interest in the outside world, then the brain relaxes and the connections are lost. That would lead to the theory that only 10% ( 20, 30 etc) of the brain is used - it comes down to the inidvidual and their lifestyle.
how do you know that what we think is 100% is actually the mythical 10% and that with this other 90% we could do so much more. so in order to we would have to look at a 3d image of our neural activity so don't say we already use 100% of our brain if you don't know how much you use at any given time.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAre there any natural/artificial substances available to stimutate rest of our non active brain ?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIs it possible to activate rest of our brain by some artificial/natural substance ?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHi, just here to register
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI can agree or disagree. Maybe we do only use a certain percentage of our brain. Maybe we use the 100% of the brain to do daily activities. However, I believe the brain is a very important part of the body and how it functions.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI have read in certain research papers that meditation leading to increase in activity of certain areas of brain. So, if we are using our brain to its maximum capacity then how can the activity of any region increase beyond '100%'.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs a stroke survivor I have two simple questions:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this1. Can neurons in the brain handle 2 separate tasks? I.E control toe movement and finger movement.
2. If not then how is it decided which parts of brain function are thrown away to neuroplastically recover the dead areas. If no one knows then I guess I will have to believe in magic or a miracle.
i like this one because i am random and i actually change my personality daily and i tend to be more advanced than others in the way i think. just the other week i was watching "into the universe with steven hawking" and i had all the same views and for all the same reasons as he did on aliens and on time travel and i am just in the 8th grade
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI always interpreted the 10% claim to mean you only use 10% of your brain's potential. It is self evident that we don't only use 10% of the physical components of the brain. Whether or not emperically grounded, it does seem feasible that there is so much untapped potential inherent in the brain's capacity most of us can't access when we consider the abilities of savants or the einstein or mozarts of the world.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNice Comments. What an interesting read. More more more lol
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut seriously, is it really a myth? Do we truly know the limits of the Human brain? I would like to believe that we do use 100% of our brains, however when i notice the stupidity of most humans, i am left doubting, and believeing we do use only 10% some perhaps less.
Someone said on one of the comments "I wander how it is possible to give a value on the use of the brain, when we still dont know how it really works"
Exactly!!! We do not know. I believe the human brain has waaay way more to offer. way way more. I do not know what it is but, there is more.
If we were created under the image and likeness of our creator, well we are deffinitely not using our brains to its full potential.
But thats just what i think. . . . . . :)
Nice Comments. What an interesting read. More more more lol
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisBut seriously, is it really a myth? Do we truly know the limits of the Human brain? I would like to believe that we do use 100% of our brains, however when i notice the stupidity of most humans, i am left doubting, and believeing we do use only 10% some perhaps less.
Someone said on one of the comments "I wander how it is possible to give a value on the use of the brain, when we still dont know how it really works"
Exactly!!! We do not know. I believe the human brain has waaay way more to offer. way way more. I do not know what it is but, there is more.
If we were created under the image and likeness of our creator, well we are deffinitely not using our brains to its full potential.
But thats just what i think. . . . . . :)
Cases of people with brain damage due to tumor show that the right-left hemisphere belief is an actuality. Not only have I seen it, but I live with it. A very slow growing tumor on the right side is slowly reducing my muscular control on the left side of my body. As the article points out, the brain compensates for damage to some extent, but that compensation isn't perfect.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSorry folks, the comment was for 'orajn6', who posted at 09:44 PM on 02/08/08. I'm new here, and not used to a forum that defaults to the oldest post. :(
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this@Professor James Eka: No, my friend we have no idea as to the limits of the human brain. Just as we can't say exactly how it creates the conscious mind we all have. I have read of a "holographic brain" theory which states that, like a hologram, damaging a small portion of the 'source' doesn't make a portion of the hologram disappear, it merely reduces the clarity of the image. It takes a large portion of damage to make parts of the image black. From my own experiences there's a great deal of validity to this as it relates to the conciousness, but the idea's problem lies in the fact that the portions of the brain that control our bodies do have a direct correlation to seperate areas.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOne thing that makes an accurate evaluation of the brain impossible is the fact that there is no way to determine in-utero damage unless it is excessive, such as in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. I once read a long time ago that researchers do not know the characteristics of pure nasal mucous, as it is impossible to get an uncontaminated sample. In a similar way, due to the nature of the process, it's impossible to determine the existence of very small amounts of brain damage resulting from the sensitivity of our development from conception to birth.
Given this I think it likely that only a few rare individuals such as Einstein or Leonardo da Vinci have brains that work close to their potential. Every thought and idea humanity has regarding the potential of our brain is conceived in the brains of individuals, as such we can't rule out the possibility that a completely undamaged brain has the potential to acheive these ideas. ESP, Spiritualism, telepathy, and living harmoniously with ourselves and nature may be some of the capabilities we have 'built in' that don't work due to some kind of damage to a key connection in the "firestorm" of electrical activity found in the mind of an active person.
My favorite Einstein quote is: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." Looking at the state of our species and the planet we live on I can't help but agree with him. I think it's time for medical research to do more work on the brain, rather than trying to find a better way to make bigger breasts for the ladies!
But then, I'm brain damaged, what do I know? ;)
Well,
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thismaybe tht's a myth, and i agree with u that we dont control all of our brain's capacity at once.
However, ma question is what if someone controls all his brain capacity at ince?!
can it be true that someone can be extremely smart and have "SUPER POWERS"??
I'm interested in what the changes in neurological patterns would be (if any are noticeable)under the influence of psychedelics.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLook at it this way, says Metaphor Man...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisA car engine is being used 100% all the time, but no way is all its power being mobilized.
A bit of tuning, and a more efficient fuel supply, and better road conditions, not to mention a better driver making good use of all this, and the car becomes a different kind of beast.
The potential is there all the time, but there's a huge range of performance between ticking over and full throttle.
I like the metaphor. I was thinking that there needs to be a distinction between the level of use of the brain as an organ and mental capacity, the mind, which goes beyond the physical organ.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIn response to: "The persistence of this obviously fallacious argument on sociocultural thinking is a clear reminder for intellectually sincere individuals on how important the role of our substantiation to rationalism is for the urgent substitution of folklore with scientific facts." <~ Although I can appreciate the candor and eloquence of your statement, I don't completely believe its content to be fully accurate. You make the claim that Scientific facts(Theories) must replace folklore(Culture). Forgive me if I have deviated from your point, but i believe that folklore contributes by reinforcing people's understanding and sense of community. Scientific "theories" cannot negate the bases of a folklore, since it is always subjected to the fundamental flaw that it cannot explain all things in our real world. Things that are of a perceptive matter cannot be explained through applications of algorithms. Statistics must always adhere to the existence of probable error, I believe this "fact" or actual evidence is the only clear sign that neither Science nor Culture can replace one another. Thank you for your time.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOkay!!! Can someone please Tell me How you Will Know when you have started to use Some of the other 90% of your brain?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisim not one who too talk but i have tap into this brain funtion of surpassing 10%of the humanmind ive before proven it and got video evidence on my laptop
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisTo Answer your Question it automatically can be tap in and out. Its a difficult task at time but takes confidence and focus to achieve this goal I myself not sure if I made 90% but I've know I surpass 10% but solidifing my abdominal toward a spike gate and use total concidtration and didnt punture my entural organs.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIf you all provide me with scientific fact that their is absolutely now way we use 10% of our brains I will believe it. Until than you all are foolish individuals who present theoretical evidence as fact.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI've been interested in what has been termed "The Human Condition" for over forty year. In that 40 years I would like to think I have amassed a healthy level of knowledge on the human mind. I don't think the 10% rule was ever meant to suggest we only "use" 10% of our brain. Rather, I believe it was only meant to suggest we are only "CONSCIOUSLY AWARE" of 10% of the brains activities.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"Ultimately, it's not that we use 10 percent of our brains, merely that we only understand about 10 percent of how it functions."
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisRead the fucking article. All of you are retarded.
This article is so completely inaccurate that it's laughable...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFact: Neurologists can't detect or observe everything going on in the brain.
Fact: Psychology and Neurology are relatively new sciences, when compared to other sciences it's VERY young and barely scratching the surface of what the brain is truly capable of.
Fact: We have dreams (which seem real and defy our conscious imagination btw) when the brain is recorded to LOWER its detectable brain wave patterns. In other words, when we sleep or reach a state of extreme relaxation without going unconscious.
Fact: The subconscious mind, known to other people as the dream world or spirit world, is GIGANTIC and we haven't even begun to understand what its true purpose is aside from interpreting certain memories, emotions, and organizing information in the brain. It actually does much more than that, controlling the subconscious dreams can drastically effect your conscious behavior and thought process...
Fact: The subconscious mind aka dreaming mind, when the mind is in the R.E.M. cycle of sleep, can be CONTROLLED.
Fact: The subconscious mind and the left or right hemispheres of the brain (most people dominantly use only one efficiently or to its partial potential) IS part of the 90% of the brain that WE DON'T use.
Another fact, people on this webpage ignorantly believe that Psychology and Neurology has "figured it all out" in matters of the mind when the truth is so far from that false ideology that you people may as well just stop thinking since you haven't been anyway.
You people have NO idea how enormous the brain actually is, truth is that we've only seen the tip of the ice berg in regards to the functions and capabilities of the brain. If you don't believe me, then please just stop using your brain(s) because it's not doing you any good anyway.
Seriously people, WAKE UP. If you actually encumbrance yourself with in depth study of Psychology (dreams and how the subconscious mind effects our mind in active states), Neurology, and human history you will understand that the brain really does only use 10% of its default capacity.
@Wildcat
Good job posting the only other truly logical comment on this ignorant article comment section.
This article is so completely inaccurate that it's laughable...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFact: Neurologists can't detect or observe everything going on in the brain.
Fact: Psychology and Neurology are relatively new sciences, when compared to other sciences it's VERY young and barely scratching the surface of what the brain is truly capable of.
Fact: We have dreams (which seem real and defy our conscious imagination btw) when the brain is recorded to LOWER its detectable brain wave patterns. In other words, when we sleep or reach a state of extreme relaxation without going unconscious.
Fact: The subconscious mind, known to other people as the dream world or spirit world, is GIGANTIC and we haven't even begun to understand what its true purpose is aside from interpreting certain memories, emotions, and organizing information in the brain. It actually does much more than that, controlling the subconscious dreams can drastically effect your conscious behavior and thought process...
Fact: The subconscious mind aka dreaming mind, when the mind is in the R.E.M. cycle of sleep, can be CONTROLLED.
Fact: The subconscious mind and the left or right hemispheres of the brain (most people dominantly use only one efficiently or to its partial potential) IS part of the 90% of the brain that WE DON'T use.
Another fact, people on this webpage ignorantly believe that Psychology and Neurology has "figured it all out" in matters of the mind when the truth is so far from that false ideology that you people may as well just stop thinking since you haven't been anyway.
You people have NO idea how enormous the brain actually is, truth is that we've only seen the tip of the ice berg in regards to the functions and capabilities of the brain. If you don't believe me, then please just stop using your brain(s) because it's not doing you any good anyway.
Seriously people, WAKE UP. If you actually encumbrance yourself with in depth study of Psychology (dreams and how the subconscious mind effects our mind in active states), Neurology, and human history you will understand that the brain really does only use 10% of its default capacity.
@Wildcat
Good job posting the only other truly logical comment on this ignorant article comment section.
Might I suggest a course that improves basic educational skills?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisi hav a short solution ....by which any homo sapien can use der maximum brain ;;;;;;
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this1.if ur a right handed ..try to write with left hand..
2.dont try to rember d past event force fully
3.jst belive dat ur brain is grasping every thing
4.fath n respect ur brain
5.double personality ...dis ll give u sm advantage ......
try dis steps ..n have fun
The problem is that lately, this myth has been strongly supported in movies such as Inception and Limitless. Most of the people that saw these movies will support the idea that we use 10%-20% no matter what you say. Most of the times they don't have any other argument than that it was in a movie or something, no real research and no evidence to back their theory. Maybe I am wrong or maybe I just need to get new friends...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhatever you plan on doing in the future, please learn some decent English before trying to sound smart. Thank you.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe second to last sentence completely invalidates (or at least calls into question) the conclusion of the post. If we don't understand what 90% of the brain even does, how can we say that we use 100% of the brain. It's more proper to say that we use 100% of our brain's neurons but it leaves open the question of what we do with the other 90% of our brain. We use it somehow, at some percentage, and in some way, but how and for what?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this10% is designated by the brain, for some people. Many obstacles prevent the majority from ingesting knowledge. most tend to puke rather than eat.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo wonder we only use a *small* part of the brain when solving problems at any given time. Just try to imagine a huge laboratory where all the equipment would suddenly be used simultaneously... Well, it is rather all about using every time the *correct* parts of the brain in the correct way...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOn the other hand, I do wonder how this temporary thinking-area might depend on people's age, culture, or the historical period they lived in. The last question is obviously hard to study, but what about more holistic minds of antiquity or the Renaissance? Maybe our brains were becoming more focused (measurably, too) during the last few centuries?
well
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this10% doesn't mean the area.
instead i prefer it means the number of the neurons
the two's meaning is different
If we consider the cerebral cortex, then its surface area and the number of neurons are similar measures, because the cortex forms the upper surface of the brain. Indeed, the cortex area is believed to be a better indicator of brain power than the brain volume, for instance.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisLooking for other indicators, one could consider the number or length of the synapses being used (perhaps also related to the area), or the intensity and speed of the signals, or how the neuronal activity is shifting... Overall, this problem has plenty of unexplored dimensions.
I have a question about this theory. If we use most of our brain, why is it that people who are going through high tensity environments, such as car accidents or martial arts matches minds speed up to an alarming rate.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPlease refrain from saying adrenaline, because we all know that with the secretion of adrenaline the MALE human body produces a large amount of testosterone, which has been proven to kill brain cells. We also have some circumstance where adrenaline itself can make parts of the brain catatonic. This causes some people to "black out" in extreme conditions.
Please think about my question and Thank you for reading my concerns about your theory
Using your left hand forcefully, while right handed can cause people to become dyslexic. It can also lead to brain tumors in some circumstances.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this"If our brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple, that we couldn't" Lyall Watson
"Though an alluring idea, the "10 percent myth" is so wrong it is almost laughable, says neurologist Barry Gordon at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore"
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is based on a misunderstanding. It's about 0.1 - 10% of our total consciousness potential. Think of everything you have experienced, learned, heard, seen in uour entire life. Everything is in the consciousness. And there is a collective and a divine one. IQ-EQ-SQ
Here you have the blueprint guys!:)
Yes, I agree that scientists researching on brain are so much obsessed with neuron firing and imaging that they consider neuron firing as synonymous with the power of brain. Further they are so much obsessed with intelligence that intelligence is considered synonymous with the total brain capability and potential Intelligence and other capabilities of brain do not seem to lie in the quantitative parameter indicating nos. of neuron fired but in the quality of firing. Potential of brain seem to be in depth and not width. 1 % neuron firing in the brain of a genius like Einstein could generate higher intelligent thought than 100 % firing in the brain of an average scientist. 1 % neuron firing in the brain of Gautam Budhha or Christ could generate higher degree of love and compassion than 100% neuron firing in the brain of an average social reformer.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think unless and until scientists shall remain encapsulated with the " neuron syndrome" for the creation of thought process, they may land at irrational interpretation. For example, see the following quotes in the article :
"What's not understood is how clusters of neurons from the diverse regions of the brain collaborate to form consciousness. So far, there's no evidence that there is one site for consciousness, which leads experts to believe that it is truly a collective neural effort"
Above approach towards understanding consciousness works on the pre-supposition that consciousness also appears as a product of neuronal activities. Mystical thought process of various spiritual and religious schools have been declaring since millennia that consciousness is MOST FUNDAMENTAL. It is the consciousness which is the cause for the firing of neurons and not vice versa. But neuro-scientist is so much obsessed with neuron that he want to explain every thing thru nos. of neuron firing.
Yes, I agree that scientists researching on brain are so much obsessed with neuron firing and imaging that they consider neuron firing as synonymous with the power of brain. Further they are so much obsessed with intelligence that intelligence is considered synonymous with the total brain capability and potential Intelligence and other capabilities of brain do not seem to lie in the quantitative parameter indicating nos. of neuron fired but in the quality of firing. Potential of brain seem to be in depth and not width. 1 % neuron firing in the brain of a genius like Einstein could generate higher intelligent thought than 100 % firing in the brain of an average scientist. 1 % neuron firing in the brain of Gautam Budhha or Christ could generate higher degree of love and compassion than 100% neuron firing in the brain of an average social reformer.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI think unless and until scientists shall remain encapsulated with the " neuron syndrome" for the creation of thought process, they may land at irrational interpretation. For example, see the following quotes in the article :
"What's not understood is how clusters of neurons from the diverse regions of the brain collaborate to form consciousness. So far, there's no evidence that there is one site for consciousness, which leads experts to believe that it is truly a collective neural effort"
Above approach towards understanding consciousness works on the pre-supposition that consciousness also appears as a product of neuronal activities. Mystical thought process of various spiritual and religious schools have been declaring since millennia that consciousness is MOST FUNDAMENTAL. It is the consciousness which is the cause for the firing of neurons and not vice versa. But neuro-scientist is so much obsessed with neuron that he want to explain every thing thru nos. of neuron firing.
Does utilization of 10% of area or 10% of neurons corresponds to 10% utilization of brain capacity or potential? Is there an one to one relation between area of brain or nos. of neuron fired and generation of thought process manifesting thru intelligence, emotions, wisdom .
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this...and it is important to continue doing so as each present scientific fact is superceded and is, itself, relegated to the folklore.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisUnderstanding,the use and the amount of use of our brain is only part of it. It's important to understand the rate at which a neuron can reset itself at the synaptic junction after the neuro transmitters have been released.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is improvement in the speed at which a neuron can reset itself to refire that is crucial for development in this field of science. Not only do we want as many neurons to fire simultaneously connecting themselves broadening the neural map, lightening up certain parts of the brain. We want the rate of specific neurons to increase their firing. Similar to the difference of hand gun vs a machine gun. For any given time period like a nanosecond, we want the neuron to fire as many times as it can.
From a practical standpoint those of you reading this need to understand calcium, potassium and sodium play critical roles in how neurons are fired. Therefore it's important that we eat enough foods that contain potassium like bananas, and other fruits. Also calcium is not only good for bones and teeth it's also needed to fire neurons through specific channels.
So have a banana, drink your milk andd eat some cheese. Your brain will thank you for it.
I just finished reading everyone’s opinion and all the comments in the argument about our brain capabilities, rather if we are at 10% or 100%. I think if you believe that you’re functioning at your brains full capacity, (then it stands to reason that you are). Because you live in a world where, in your mind’s eye view, everything’s black and white, you are stuck inside the box, where everything appears gray, so too is your reasoning. The difference between you and me is that you have been taught how to think, and it is for that reason alone why I have personally experienced the minds capability to do what people like yourself are unable to explain, let alone experience. Because unlike you, I have not been taught how to think, no man need to be taught how to do that which comes naturally, it is innate of us as it is for birds to migrate.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisExactly! This article just functions on the perspective of another. Some people use 2% some people use 20%. No one person would be able to use their who brain. If they did the amount of blood used to regularly transport would become to hectic and cause clots and and high blood pressure, and lead to tumors. The brain could shut down from over work of processing large amounts of material. The brain usage only expands less than a half percent..
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