Energy of a Thought

If the 1st Law of thermodynamics says energy is neither created nor destroyed, but conserved, where does the energy that goes into producing a thought go? Is it radiated out as heat? Glucose is used by the brain as an energy source, but where is the final destination of that energy? It is believed that the adult human brain uses 20% of the body's energy, which includes all the processes necessary for life, etc. What I am talking about is conscious thought. The energy is used to fire neurons in your brain, but what is the product of the energy used? If someone has more understanding into what exactly is happening please enlighten me. Does a thought produce energy that is released outside of the body? If so what are the implications of this? Discuss.

Thoughts are produced as waves, which have the energy to exit your skull, but not do much else but dissapate and break up pretty much right after exiting your head. So they break up and no longer are waves, just the particles around the area your are at.

Where did you find that information? Just curious so I can read more about it (and see for myself, you know how it is for those of us who like to do our own research).

reply to post by ModestThought


I got into a personal conversation with my Astromony Prof. about it, and he explained to me how that works. I have never seen it online b/c I never needed to, but I'll look and see what I can find for you.

reply to post by ModestThought

I think the energy that is consumed in the form of glucose by the brain is transferred to consciousness which exists in another dimension.

It is probably the place that 73% of the universe's unobservable mass goes. Dark energy is probably growing as I think about this question.

Have you ever heard that if you are cold, keep your head warm first as that's where most of the body's heat is lost? See the connection?

Your brain uses glycogen (blood sugar) as fuel or, if none is available, ketones but the end result is that the energy is radiated as heat.

Thought does transform energy from one form to another and that is chemical to heat thus the laws of thermodynamics remain unviolated.

[edit on 26-12-2009 by OZtracized]

reply to post by OZtracized


But that means actual thought, (if the energy is transferred from chemical then radiated as heat energy) either came from nothing, no energy, or is nothing.

I seem to remember reading that thoughts are electromagnetic energy waves that emenate from your body. Some people are sensitive to this energy, which is why sometimes you here people say things like "I was thinking the exact same thing!" or "you pulled the words right out of my mouth!". It is also a skill that people use to "read" the emotions of people around them. I think everybody has this skill, but that they don't realize it.

All thought energy comes in 2 forms: Positive energy, and Negative energy. This why you can sometimes sense the "atmosphere" of a room as soon as you walk in, without taking the time to look at and think about people's facial expressions, tonal dialogue, body postitions, ect.

I have become ever more aware of this; whenever I am im a room full of happy, positive people, almost all of my thoughts and thinking are positive. I also tend think more negative thoughts when there is hostility in the atmosphere of a room.

This gives me the idea that we not only send thought energy out, but receive it as well, in accordance with the first law of thermodyanmics that states that energy is never destroyed or created, simply transferred.

This is why I think telepathy could, in theory, be possible.

Originally posted by kingoftheworld
Thoughts are produced as waves, which have the energy to exit your skull, but not do much else but dissapate and break up pretty much right after exiting your head. So they break up and no longer are waves, just the particles around the area your are at.

This is an interesting idea or thought, but pray tell if this thought you shared with us dissipated once leaving your brain, how is it we are reading it now? How is it ideas can live for eons and our brains only live as long as we do? Not intending to dismiss what you've said, only to open up the context to a larger construct.

reply to post by ModestThought


How do you figure it came from nothing?

The energy that powers your computer (probably) came from coal. Is that nothing?

The calculations came from the "wiring" in your brain just as the calculations in your computer arise from the "wiring" of the computer.

reply to post by OZtracized


Your computer uses the electrical energy to decode a series of 1's and 0's. Its energy usage and transformations can be 100% accounted for. My computer does not produce conscious thought (which I am asking about). If your computer thinks your technology is way ahead of mine.

reply to post by ModestThought


OK, I see. Sorry.

I believe science still has no idea where the conscious part of our thought actually comes from but the processes are as I previously stated.

If you sit down and think about this really hard your brain will actually consume more glycogen and radiate more heat but as to why we are self aware, I don't think anyone is even close to answering that one.

reply to post by OZtracized


Haha
We suck as a knowledge pursuing race.

reply to post by ModestThought


Actually I think we're pretty good all in all but we have to stop always thinking we (as a species) know everything.

That's stupid and we've been caught out time and time again.

Then again, who can we compare ourselves to (good or bad at pursuing knowledge vs who?).

well i think it depends on how you project that energy so to speak... ok try this make a good playlist play it and put it on random. think up another song on the playlist and try to tell the computer to play that song... see how many skips it takes for it to play the song

Originally posted by ModestThought
The energy is used to fire neurons in your brain, but what is the product of the energy used? If someone has more understanding into what exactly is happening please enlighten me.

Itzhak Bentov first brought forth a model of a "holographic universe" where all thought already existed.. and always had, and that the brain actually acts as not the generator of thought, but as an amplifier of this already existing thought.

So, if we go by that premise, then we could say that the energy used by the brain in firing the neurons wouldn't be producing any "original thought" but more or less the energy would be spent in the decoding and amplification of already existing thought, possibly in a novel perspective in relation to the person's pre-existing skew on reality provided by memory.

Also remember that the brain 'stores' experiences, so much of that energy would be used in 'writing' those experiences, and keeping them stored.

He also hypothesized on the effect of 'kudnalini energy' raising the voltage of the cns/brain's circuitry to enhance this decoding/amplification process.

just a few thoughts... hope it helps you broaden your concept of the whole thing.

cool thread. S+F

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Originally posted by ModestThought
If the 1st Law of thermodynamics says energy is neither created nor destroyed, but conserved, where does the energy that goes into producing a thought go? Is it radiated out as heat? Glucose is used by the brain as an energy source, but where is the final destination of that energy? It is believed that the adult human brain uses 20% of the body's energy, which includes all the processes necessary for life, etc. What I am talking about is conscious thought. The energy is used to fire neurons in your brain, but what is the product of the energy used? If someone has more understanding into what exactly is happening please enlighten me. Does a thought produce energy that is released outside of the body? If so what are the implications of this? Discuss.

A neuron utilizes glucose as it's energy source. When any cell uses 'energy' such as glucose it produces waste products that are shuttled about by the body to be processed and excreted through the rectum. The brain doesn't produce it's own energy from some magical unknown realm that violates physics, chemistry and biology.

Decent beginners article, I'll leave you too google more if your truly interested.

Link