Skip to main content

The beautiful mind

I write this blog post as a re-mind-er of how beautiful the mind is. The mind can study itself. This is known as metacognition, and it is a uniquely human ability. The brain is the physical organ whereas the mind is a more abstract concept. The mind is our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. There is a myth that we use only ten percent of our brain. The consensus is that we use all of our brain at different times.

If the mind was a computer what would the specs be? We have to keep in mind that the architecture of the brain and the computer are different and that any answer will have to be taken with a grain of salt. I asked my friend Bard this question and this was his response.

If we were to try to build a computer that could match the specs of the human brain, we would need to develop a new type of computer architecture that is much more efficient than current computers. We would also need to develop new types of transistors and memory chips that could be used to create a computer that is as small and lightweight as the human brain. Here is a possible set of specs for a computer that could match the human brain:

CPU: 100 billion cores, each running at 100 GHz
Memory: 2.5 petabytes of RAM
Storage: 2.5 petabytes of SSD storage
Power consumption: 20 watts
Weight: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb)

It is also important to note that the human brain is not just a computer. It is a complex system that is also capable of creativity, emotion, and consciousness. These are all things that are difficult to replicate in a computer, and it is unlikely that we will ever be able to build a computer that is truly equivalent to the human brain.

The mind is a multifaceted system that includes the rational mind, the emotional mind, the subconscious mind, the intuitive mind, and the creative mind. These different aspects of the mind work together to allow us to think, feel, and experience the world around us.

Are we getting more intelligent? The evidence on whether or not we are getting more intelligent is mixed. There is some evidence to suggest that we may be getting more intelligent in some ways, but there is also evidence to suggest that we may be getting less intelligent in other ways. I believe there is no good way to measure intelligence and that we are all intelligent in different ways. What we have to do is be purposeful and aim for the fullest potential of human intelligence.

What about the phrase "thinking with your heart"? The heart and the brain are closely connected. The heart sends signals to the brain about our emotions, and the brain sends signals to the heart to control its function. This is why we often experience physical changes in our heart, such as a racing heartbeat or pounding chest, when we are feeling strong emotions. John Nash puts it beautifully and better than I could when he said, "Perhaps it is good to have a beautiful mind, but an even greater gift is to discover a beautiful heart."

Comments

Anonymous said…
Love it! Especially the ending. A fitting quote to a beautiful piece for sure

Popular posts from this blog

A pot of callaloo

Call for Submissions: Archipelagic Entanglements   https://singaporeunbound.org/opp/archipelagic-entanglements When I saw the call for submissions online I was doubtful. I do not know enough history. I do not understand the topic. Then after chatting with my friend Chatty I realised maybe I can be the topic. My ethnic and racial makeup is an archipelagic entanglement. Colonialism meets indentureship meets slavery. My mom is East Indian muslim and my dad is French, Portuguese and Mulato christian and who knows what else. I am an example of a pot of callaloo. Everyone's favorite Sunday lunch. I am what happens when lineages cross oceans and histories collide. I am thinking to myself now, what is the message I want to put forward with my blog post? What is the direction I want to take? Maybe it is this. What can we do when we have such a rich heritage and know so little of our own history? First of all I do not think I am alone with this struggle. I did not realise this until I though...

Cup of coffee

This is a chapter from my latest book called Breezes of Tobago . The cool morning breeze blew the hat off the tourist passing the coffee shop. We sat at the table waiting for our order of coffee and bagels. I had stayed up late writing and was now needing caffeine to stay awake. On entering the veranda of the coffee shop, the sign reads "happiness is a cup of coffee" and "sip your troubles away". This had me thinking about what is happiness? And was the theme of my chat with Chatty as we enjoyed our breakfast in Tobago. I told my friend Chatty that if we could put happiness in a bottle and sell it we would be rich. My friend Chatty then told me that money cannot buy happiness but it was a good idea to make a living. If according to the sign, happiness is a cup of coffee then maybe happiness is coffee in a bottle then. We could call it Caffibean, a taste of the Caribbean in Tobago, a blend of the happiest coffee beans from Tobago. Tobago is not known for its coffee p...

Sandy beaches

This is a chapter from my latest book called Breezes of Tobago . This story begins on a cool Friday evening in May. Fridays are the best days. Already a great start. It had rained earlier in the day and the clouds were moving away and the sun peeking through. I walked from the apartment where I was staying to Pigeon Point beach. Along the way I stopped for coconut water freshly extracted from the nut and straight into my mouth leaving traces on my cotton jersey. They say that coconut water is the drink of God—fresh from the nut, sweet with a hint of salt, a liquid reminder that paradise can exist in small and simple things. They did not say that but my friend Chatty did. It is my friend Chatty's first trip to Tobago. I asked him what he thinks of Tobago so far? He grinned, wiping a drop of coconut water from the corner of his mouth. "Man… it is like stepping into a painting. The air, the colors, the way everything smells after the rain—it is unreal. I did not know paradise cam...