Neurotheology in Review (Brain & Heart) part 2 Essay

Neurotheology in Review (Brain & Heart) part 2 - Essay Example An attempt to understand these mechanisms, ultimately calls for basic understanding of the mechanisms about how different systems work in our body. Physiology is the study of vital processes of living organisms, particularly at the level of organs and organ systems and at the level of the organism as a whole. Physiological processes, in turn, are dependent on anatomical and biochemical factors and constitute the physical basis of behavior (Abram et al., 2007). But with the existing knowledge, it is difficult to explain, as Eiser (2005) has pointed out how out of the structure and function or anatomy and physiology, a novel psychological entity representing the individual arise (Eiser, 2005). Questions keep coming on this hitherto unexplored area of the science. What people think, what they say, what they do, what they feel, and why they think, say, act, and feel in these ways are plainly of the greatest interest to all of us. The interface between psychology, religion, and spirituality has been of great interest to scholars for a century (Tartaro, Luecken, and Gunn, 2005). Taking into account that religious consciousness arises out of functional aspects of brain, it is not irrational to assume that the origin of such consciousness is from an emotion, and there must be a harmonious mechanism occurring in our body that leads to such emotions, hence physiologic effect out of some anatomic structures (Saver and Rabin, 1997). Are the sayings, "my heartfelt love", "from the core of my heart" and so on and so forth, just the sayings, or there exists some relationship in reality between the mind and the heart, or emotion and physiologic function. The anatomically determined theory of emotion or consciousness indicates emotion is like other somesth etic or special senses (McEachrane, 2009) similar to pain, temperature, and vision, emotional experience was accorded a thalamic nucleus and thalamocortical cortical relay (Compton, 2003). As

How does the academic study of problem solving and thinking relate to Essay

How does the academic study of problem solving and thinking relate to everyday life - Essay Example Along with maturation, people obtain substantial competence that enables them to solve common problems encountered daily. (Holyoak 1995, p. 267) However, Anderson (1993, p. 39) explains, not everything requiring solution, like routine activities, is indeed problems. For example, summing-up a three-month electric bill, though requires solution is not a problem because one simply has to compute it either manually or electronically, but how to pay the bill with practically nothing left in one’s pocket is surely a problem. The difference here lies on the immediate availability of achieving the task. Computing the bill could be easily achieved with the simple knowledge of addition or much easier the use of calculator, but where to find the money to pay the bill not to be cut off power presents a problem, as there is no immediate solution to it. Hence a problem is determined by the gap between the present state and the target goal wherein the means to solve the gap is not immediatel y evident (Schwarz & Skurnik 2003, p. 267). Problem solving begins with problem identification (Rudd 2005, p. 11). Generally defined as the activity by which the goal of eliminating the gap is undertaken without certainty of success (Tallman, Leik, Gray, & Stafford, 1993, cited in Nelson, Brice & Gunby 2010, p.74), problem solving which could be correct or erroneous differs for every individual, because individual experiences and task demands, which problem solving entails, vary (Martinez 1998, p. 605). Similarly, the difficulty of solving problems differs in degree depending on the nature of the problem. Some could be easy; others could be truly hard or could never be solved at all. (Joswiak 2004, p. 19) ‘The relative ease of solving a problem will depend on how successful the solver has been in representing crucial elements of the task environment in his problem space’ (Simon, 1978, p. 276). The more exposed a person to varied task of compelling nature, the greater is the chance of that person to handle problems of similar/related nature. For example, an ex-marine has the greater chance of surviving a physical assault than a language teacher who has yet to experience physical violence. Moreover, problem solving has two aspects: The answer that which solve the problem, and the solution procedure by which way the answer is known (Robertson 2001, p. 6). With a variety of problems that people come across everyday solutions also vary by which Robertson (2001, pp. 6-11) says problems can also be categorised. One, what knowledge does the problem require – would it be â€Å"knowledge-lean† or â€Å"knowledge-rich† problems (p. 7)? For example, household maintenance though complex requires simple management, whereas ensuring national security is far more complicated that it requires expertise. Steif, Lobue, Kara, & Fay (2010, p. 135) suggest that the ability to determine fitted conceptual knowledge in order to solve a problem is cons idered a metacognitive skill. This according to Greeno (1978, p. 62) is learnable. Although, Gagne (1979) clarifies that what can be learned in problem solving are its specific aspects, cited as: "rules of syntax and mathematics," "knowledge about particular objects and events," "specific cognitive strategies" (cited in Mayer 1987, p. 111). Two, what is the nature of the goal? Is it technical, routine, domestic, political,