Dartmouth researchers discover how and where imagination occurs in human brains

Dartmouth researchers discover how and where imagination occurs in human brains

www.eurekalert.org...

The answer, Dartmouth researchers conclude in a new study, lies in a widespread neural network -- the brain's "mental workspace" -- that consciously manipulates images, symbols, ideas and theories and gives humans the laser-like mental focus needed to solve complex problems and come up with new ideas.

Their findings, titled "Network structure and dynamics of the mental workspace," appear the week of Sept. 16 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Our findings move us closer to understanding how the organization of our brains sets us apart from other species and provides such a rich internal playground for us to think freely and creatively," says lead author Alex Schlegel , a graduate student in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. "Understanding these differences will give us insight into where human creativity comes from and possibly allow us to recreate those same creative processes in machines."

Scholars theorize that human imagination requires a widespread neural network in the brain, but evidence for such a "mental workspace" has been difficult to produce with techniques that mainly study brain activity in isolation. Dartmouth researchers addressed the issue by asking: How does the brain allow us to manipulate mental imagery? For instance, imagining a bumblebee with the head of a bull, a seemingly effortless task but one that requires the brain to construct a totally new image and make it appear in our mind's eye.

"Our findings move us closer to understanding how the organization of our brains sets us apart from other species."

So are they concluding we are set apart from others species?

Imagination and the the human conscience.
what do you see?

Searching for other articles on this study,

"There's a lot of debate about what makes some people more creative than others," said Schlegel, referring to the mental workspace. "That is one possibility, that we tap into this network more or better than others -- maybe there are stronger connections between these areas of the brain."

This is a good question, of course creativity come in many forms, but what does open the door of the imagination up in certain individuals that they can invent or write great music or books, for instance.

Do you have to be more intelligent to have a great imagination?
NO.
www.designntrend.com...
But in some instances, yes.

In my minds eye I have come to believe knowledge in the form of imagination could possibly be imparted wisdom.

And there are limits to how far our imagination will take us.

Try to imagine something no one else has thought before you.

reply to post by stormdancer777


Great as if they were not trying to destroy my imagination enough now they know where it is! I will have to think a of way to hide it again and quickly!

reply to post by abeverage


For some reason brainwashing came to mind.

I wonder how much of our imagination can be manipulated, or eradicated.

stormdancer777

what do you see?

in summary.. "they got nuthin"

no they wont put creativity into machines. it will be Artificial creativity, programmed with anagrams and tables. creativity is chaos. sometimes logical, and sometimes very illogical. and it depends largely on the individual personality and experiences. it comes from our source of consciousness as it breaks itself down into logic and creativity to will the body.

that's why they got nuthin

animals possess consciousness too, and as a result are capable of displaying all emotions as we do to varying degrees. creativity being no exception.

so this discovery sets us apart in no way, from animals. their creativity comes from the same place.

stormdancer777
reply to post by abeverage

 

For some reason brainwashing came to mind.

I wonder how much of our imagination can be manipulated, or eradicated.

I thought more like an Apathy generator. Drones of uninspired human robots, sleep, wake, brush teeth, dress, drive, work, eat, drive, eat, brush teeth, sleep...rinse and repeat daily! OH WAIT I already do that!

But at least I have the weekend to express myself! With creative imagination! NOT FOR MUCH LONGER!

YAY! Go science!

I see no practical good coming out of this research all I see is a method of control. Shame on the scientist working on it, and please someone prove to me otherwise how this could be used to benefit mankind instead of further enslave it!

reply to post by filledcup

so this discovery sets us apart in no way, from animals. their creativity comes from the same place.

Will you explain animal creativity to me as you see it?

reply to post by abeverage



Enslave, how?

reply to post by stormdancer777


There have been quite a few articles lately of how the brain works. The direction the information goes through the brain is what causes people to see things differently. Pretty interesting subject and I am glad they have figured a way to understand the interpretation of new technology available. Most stuff that was said to be real about this subject ten years ago is proving to be false. I guess when shooting in the dark only using knowledge with no real evidence backing it made it easy to go astray. Here is where technology should be, focused on what we need to learn to better our understanding of things we need to understand. Going to Mars is not a priority in my book, spending so much money on weapon advancement worldwide is also counterproductive to the evolution of our intelligence. Why do so many people want to rule the world? Why do so many people want to be rich? We are all in this together.

S&F

stormdancer777
reply to post by abeverage

 

Enslave, how?

As far as we know most animals have no imagination. Possibly imagination allows us to visualize the future, contemplate the past or realize what Freedom is!

Now quick imagine a world where imagination can be suppressed even more than it already is!

reply to post by abeverage

Now quick imagine a world where imagination can be suppressed even more than it already is!

I see your point, but maybe imagine a world where we can enhance our imagination.

reply to post by rickymouse

Here is where technology should be, focused on what we need to learn to better our understanding of things we need to understand.

I agree, when I first read it I thought, how exciting another piece of the puzzle.

It goes with out saying but I will add it anyway, to think of the imaginations of the science fiction writers and when you actually saw things they imagined become a reality.

reply to post by stormdancer777

It is said "we need to feel cold, to appreciate warmth. emmm.... so does that mean to appreciate freedom we must all go to jail...... wahh!!!

flipflop
reply to post by stormdancer777

 

It is said "we need to feel cold, to appreciate warmth. emmm.... so does that mean to appreciate freedom we must all go to jail...... wahh!!!

Not sure what you mean.

reply to post by stormdancer777


Consider the Portia spider that can creatively adapt and subvert other spiders behaviors to its benefit, it is to me amazing that a little spider that looks and moves like a little robot can be so marvelously imaginative, even if we dismiss it as simple instinct the operations it performs with a brain so small is amazing to me... and proves that we really do not understand yet how brains function at all, we only have simple models in regards to areas and functions and how chemical biological interactions affects operations/capacity, the operational aspect is still illusive...

Portia (genus)

reply to post by stormdancer777


This is very interesting research. My only real comment: it seems that they are putting the cart before the horse.

The presumption is that thought comes from the brain. That it is the creative machine. While this may be true, it is still just a presumption. Just like saying that memories are stored in the brain.

stormdancer777
reply to post by filledcup

 

so this discovery sets us apart in no way, from animals. their creativity comes from the same place.

Will you explain animal creativity to me as you see it?

creativity is a facet of consciousness, the soul. thus all mammals at least, display creativity in different areas. figuring out how to slip their head out of a noose, or to escape the caboose (lol). to learn how to fish..



all requires imagination, and the ability to plan and strategize, visualize and virtualize, and experiment within the mind. these are the facets of life which sets living things apart from mere robots. a pictoral preconception of an idea. actions seen within the mind before an action or series of actions are carried out.

imagine, laying on the couch watching tv. and you say to urself "i should go get a bag of potato chips". during that time u have already visualized yourself going for the chips and getting it out of storage where u imagine it to be located.

animals do all these things. and thus their imaginative/creative facets are held well in tact and on par with the attributes of conscious/living organism.

reply to post by stormdancer777


"Why are some people more creative than others?" Wonderful, soon we will eventually see the creative equivalent of the intelligence quotient (IQ) and lets call it the creative quotient (CQ) and it will be one more thing that humans use to make themselves out to be better than everyone. "My CQ is 140, yours is 110, looks like i'll be getting that career at Pixar much sooner than you!" Yay for furthering human subjugation against humans with a fickle number.

Though I don't know what would be worse, quantifying one's creativity into a number that they can compare with another person, or having a machine that is more creative than you lol. To me creativity is a person's unique expression and unique view of the world, I feel like this research threatens me in many ways, as it is easy to see someone telling me my personal experience and expression is not as "good" as another's.

Edit: Stormdancer777 I didn't mean to reply to you specifically I just pressed the wrong reply button. And yes I know I made up the whole CQ idea and most of my post here is coming solely from me.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


And you are saying like memories perhaps thought comes from or is stored outside the brain?

I am thinking thought has a source.