Fri, 8 August 2008  Episode 43 of the Brain Science Podcast is an interview with Dr. Robert Burton, author of "On Being Certain: Believing that You are Right Even When You're Not." This episode is part 2 of our discussion of what Dr. Burton calls "the feeling of knowing." We discuss the evidence that this "feeling of knowing" is generated in our unconscious. Not only is its generation inaccessible, but despite its power this feeling is not necessarily reliable. The focus of Dr. Burton's interview is a look at the implications of this important discovery.For show notes and references go to http://brainsciencepodcast.com/. Send feedback to Dr. Campbell at docartemis at gmail.com or submit comments to our Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com/. Comments[2] |
The identification of "I," "me," "we," only with information that is consciously available to us has been bothering me for a long time. I am very very happy to hear Dr Burton say that as we understand what is consciously available and what is not (this is very roughly summarized from the interview, and from memory)we must redefine "person."
I also encountered this point of view in a taped lecture series on the neurobiology of personality from the Teaching Company (Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition, Robert Sapolsky) Sapolsky discussed the moveable boundaries of what we perceive to be the self versus the effect of disease on the self. This kind of fuzziness is my comfort zone, and I appreciate its emergence, if you will, in the interview.
I have one question about this notion of certainty being a state not consciously availble to us: can we train ourselves to routinely question that certainty? So when we realize we have been certain but wrong in a given situation, when we are next in that situation and have the feeling of certainty can we train ourselves to say, "I have been here before, I felt just like this, but I was wrong. I will change my behavior this time," and, over time, have the behavior change the feeling of certainty? A complex question: I am happy to refine it if anyone cares to discuss.
I also encountered this point of view in a taped lecture series on the neurobiology of personality from the Teaching Company (Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality, 2nd Edition, Robert Sapolsky) Sapolsky discussed the moveable boundaries of what we perceive to be the self versus the effect of disease on the self. This kind of fuzziness is my comfort zone, and I appreciate its emergence, if you will, in the interview.
I have one question about this notion of certainty being a state not consciously availble to us: can we train ourselves to routinely question that certainty? So when we realize we have been certain but wrong in a given situation, when we are next in that situation and have the feeling of certainty can we train ourselves to say, "I have been here before, I felt just like this, but I was wrong. I will change my behavior this time," and, over time, have the behavior change the feeling of certainty? A complex question: I am happy to refine it if anyone cares to discuss.
I appreciate your comment and question, but this is not the main site for the Brain Science Podcast.
Could you possibly re post in the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com?
That's the best place to share ideas and get feedback from other listeners.
Could you possibly re post in the Discussion Forum at http://brainscienceforum.com?
That's the best place to share ideas and get feedback from other listeners.
posted by: Ginger Campbell, MD on Thu, 8/21 07:33 PM EDT
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