Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds

[Dover]

Scientists Say Everyone Can Read Minds

LiveScience.com
Wed Apr 27,10:24 AM ET



Empathy allows us to feel the emotions of others, to identify and understand their feelings and motives and see things from their perspective. How we generate empathy remains a subject of intense debate in cognitive science.


Some scientists now believe they may have finally discovered its root. We're all essentially mind readers, they say.

The idea has been slow to gain acceptance, but evidence is mounting.

Mirror neurons

In 1996, three neuroscientists were probing the brain of a macaque monkey when they stumbled across a curious cluster of cells in the premotor cortex, an area of the brain responsible for planning movements. The cluster of cells fired not only when the monkey performed an action, but likewise when the monkey saw the same action performed by someone else. The cells responded the same way whether the monkey reached out to grasp a peanut, or merely watched in envy as another monkey or a human did.

Because the cells reflected the actions that the monkey observed in others, the neuroscientists named them "mirror neurons."
Later experiments confirmed the existence of mirror neurons in humans and revealed another surprise. In addition to mirroring actions, the cells reflected sensations and emotions.

"Mirror neurons suggest that we pretend to be in another person's mental shoes," says Marco Iacoboni, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. "In fact, with mirror neurons we do not have to pretend, we practically are in another person's mind." ..cont'd

http://dailynews.yahoo.com/s/space/scientistssayeveryonecanreadminds;_ylt=Alu8kyLMKIftHVd_VF5LT4.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA2bm5xNHVjBHNlYwNtcA--

[icymist]

1. In other words, we're all connected.

Now science is beginning to prove it. Interesting.

[DoYouEverWonder]

2. Well then some people must have more

of these 'mirror neurons' than others, because it is apparent that George Bush has none.

[autorank]

7. Bush is the prototype for the anti-empathy neuron theory.

You always need a prominent exception to elaborate a theory. Other exemplars include Newt GingReich; Dick Cheney; Tom DeLay; and Rick Santorum. They lack the DNA set (which almost all of us have)necessary to protect them from simple infections that attack and destroy empathy.

[PinkTiger]

11. Actually, I disagee.

He lacks empathy as a learned reaction. I'm sure that within his own circle he has empathy in abundance. But ordinary people like you, me and anyone not in the inner beltway of his existence are not worthy of consideration. He is the ultimate snob.

You can tell I have little use for sons of rich men; and Bush is actually the grandson of two very rich men....so he is doubly cursed.

[autorank]

12. Sounds about right! The anti-empathy, empathy circle.

As you described his empathy, I thought of Anton LeVay!

[Me.]

3. Dover You Do Discover & Share The Most Wonderful Things

Thanks

[jrthin]

4. I AGREE. THANKS, DOVER.NT

[Dover]

5. You're welcome! Interesting where Science seems to be headed.

While scientists call it 'discovery, others call it 'home'....:P

[DemExpat]

8. Me, too! Thanks so much, Dover, for your contributions.

:thumbsup:

:hug:

DemEx

[Dover]

9. And thank YOU DemEx for being such a conscientious moderator

on this forum...and such an active participant too! I really appreciate the way you've handled things. It's comforting.

[autorank]

6. Dover, I KNEW you would post this message. Cyber neurons!

This explains why reasoning is based on analogy. Fascinating, like all of your contributions.

[Dover]

10. lol! Those cyber neurons are infectious!