In the end, we don’t believe that there are independent agents in the brain precisely, at least not operating near the robust level of a mini-person subject to negotiation, or legislation.
Competition at a low level is fundamental. Perception of some ambiguous item like a Necker Cube is probably resulting in one group of neurons arguing one way, and another arguing a different way, and some process of arbitration. But we shouldn’t imply capacities to these neuron groups that don’t exist e.g. FrontFacingMiller vs. BackFacingMiller.
Introspection or observation definitely shows that our moods, our level of wakefulness, etc. influence our thoughts, behaviors, motivations, etc. However, this is a complicated system of knobs and dials that are being turned to adjust this jangling automaton and it’s probably best to focus on the detail of what is known biochemically or through experimentation and operate at that level.
So for instance, motivation is related to dopamine levels. So, what raises dopamine? Coffee, sex, novelty perhaps.. Have trouble getting up in the morning despite having decided that the snooze button game was useless? Get a bed with an ejection mechanism or that clock that has wheels and takes off like a Roomba. Try something, monitor the results and side-effects closely, and modify.
In the end, we don’t believe that there are independent agents in the brain precisely, at least not operating near the robust level of a mini-person subject to negotiation, or legislation.
Competition at a low level is fundamental. Perception of some ambiguous item like a Necker Cube is probably resulting in one group of neurons arguing one way, and another arguing a different way, and some process of arbitration. But we shouldn’t imply capacities to these neuron groups that don’t exist e.g. FrontFacingMiller vs. BackFacingMiller.
Introspection or observation definitely shows that our moods, our level of wakefulness, etc. influence our thoughts, behaviors, motivations, etc. However, this is a complicated system of knobs and dials that are being turned to adjust this jangling automaton and it’s probably best to focus on the detail of what is known biochemically or through experimentation and operate at that level.
So for instance, motivation is related to dopamine levels. So, what raises dopamine? Coffee, sex, novelty perhaps.. Have trouble getting up in the morning despite having decided that the snooze button game was useless? Get a bed with an ejection mechanism or that clock that has wheels and takes off like a Roomba. Try something, monitor the results and side-effects closely, and modify.