I naively thought that I could easily juggle genotypes tomograms of the brain and personality quizzes to explain how the matrix arise from primordial unique people. But instead, I had to fight desperately with shifty empirical concepts that constantly slipped out of my hands. How humble author of scientific books can hope to extract the essence of this incredibly complex issue, since even the greatest of modern thinkers are still not able to understand what makes us who we are-
"Throw it up. How do you intend to do this is - immediately answered David Ash, when I shared with him the plans. - We are fighting for many years to solve a seemingly simple question, and you want to find a solution to such a complex problem-It does not work. You will not find an answer. "
I have to say he was right (alas ...). But even though I could not find the same answer, the experience still gave much because I learned a lot of interesting things.
1. Genes play a role, but the fatal inevitability is not here. In all but the composition of earwax. From it we can not escape. We tend to think that our genome works on the principle of "gene = hallmark", but in reality is more complicated.
Yes, a gene that encodes a protein of earwax and determines whether it is dry or moist, but most of the genes is performed for more than one function and interact with each other.For example, the height of the individual - a very simple feature that is determined almost exclusively by heredity . Nevertheless , we have some of the gene with the label. Instead, multiple genes interact with each other and form our final growth. The same applies to the color of the eye.With traits , health and behavior , everything is more complicated - they are in varying degrees affect education, social pressure , cultural influence , the resulting experience and even hormones that surround us while we are still in the womb .
2 . Distinctive features of a person can not only be congenital or acquired : they are both of them simultaneously . But though I can not fully assume responsibility for genes that love or hate cilantro broccoli and raw tomatoes , taste perception is largely determined by them really .I can clearly feel the bitterness and it is a recessive genetic trait that allows me to detect the presence of the so-called klyukozinolatov in mostly raw vegetables. However, it is possible that this has played a prominent role and my surroundings .
3 . Tomography brain says nothing about the person. But made it clear that I have a very clean sinuses. Yes, a whole chapter in my book dedicated MRI , which does not produce any results . In truth, I participated in a panel study, which has not yet come to an end. Science is moving forward at their own pace , without worrying about the dates of publication of my book . But in any case it is almost nothing said about my personality.Usually the results of MRI - a visual display of color and rough statistics, which were obtained after several scans of the brain. This is not a picture of the brain working . Whatever it was , I was able to admire the beautiful picture is illuminated by the head through the computer screen and take a virtual tour of the main areas of the brain.
4 . There is a difference between a shy person and an introvert . People are usually very surprised when I tell them that I was very quiet and shy teenager.During prom , I even sat in the locker room all night for girls out of fear that I'll have to talk to someone , or worse , that I would be invited to the dance .With age, I was able to overcome his shyness this , but I still remained an introvert . This does not mean that I - antisocial personality , I just occasionally need some time away from everyone to recharge their batteries .Ask yourself this question: what do you do after a painful breakup , go have a drink with friends or prohibit home with a stack of CDs and ice cream - Service If you like the first option, you - extrovert, if the second - an introvert .
5 . Drosophila Someday , perhaps, help to answer the question why I can not stand alcohol. Geneticist and expert in the field of behavioral Ulrike Heberlein (Ulrike Heberlein) some time ago began to carry out experiments on fruit flies : it neutralizes them certain genes to understand how it affects their resistance to alcohol. Different groups are assigned names such as " The Hangover ," " Bar drunk ", " drunkards " and , my favorite , " easy target ." Drosophila of this latter group become intoxicated almost immediately. Nevertheless , there is no gene for alcoholism , and behavior can not be reduced to personality traits .When we come to the fateful question " Alcoholism - congenital or acquired property , " the scientific world shrugs : " Well ... I guess , and then, and more ."
6. My digital picture is certainly much closer to me than I imagined. Avatars are virtual extension of the person. Whether we like it or not, but we all are physically associated with avatars. The stronger these bonds, the more we have in common with these digital alter ego. We feel the need to look at our avatars and say to yourself, "This is me."
The problem is that our identity - it is constantly changing stream. My avatar on Twitter is a part of me, but it's - I'm not all. And even, perhaps, not who I am at the moment.
7. As a child, I behaved and looked like a boy . So I was lucky that I was not born in the XVII century , when my clothes and behavior would be considered " abnormal ."However, related to gender representation still sit firmly in our society, and we obviously had not perceive a boy who , for example, loves princesses and arranges tea with toys. Such rigid thought patterns to change. Stereotypes of this kind are the result of mental laziness , which helps to better cope with the complexity of the world, but leaves out the individuality of people ( and can also bring a lot of grief does not fit the stereotype of children).
8. I'll be "the very" woman at the party, if we take LSD. Remember that series "Mad Men," when they are eating acid, and one woman crawls on all fours on the carpet-
Yes, I have the same woman. I merged with oriental carpet at the molecular level. But he told me then not called. Another great revelation, very difficult to make any entries until you on acid, because your hands are constantly fused to the paper.
9. When I die, my brain fades out once and for all , and I'll stop there , because consciousness is an integral property of the brain. Consciousness - is the real thing ( I honestly think so , although other very smart people can not accept it ), but it still is a product of a constant flow of neural information in the brain."No matter , there is no reason," - said neuroscientist Christof Koch (Christof Koch). World, this heartless monster , and will continue to live on after death . This is the horrifying thought that underlies our fear of death : we can not imagine a world without us. So we try to deal with this by searching for the meaning of time , which is given to us on this earth.
10 . We have those stories we tell . We all form the personal stories and are constantly working on them all our lives . Our memories are not as accurate as we think ( we create and embellish events , even if they believe them to be true ) , but this autobiography is the key to understanding how we create a single entity composed of many elements that contribute to our sense of themselves.You can analyze my DNA , my brain scan or make me go teach psychological tests , but none of this by itself does not show you the essence of my personality. Stories also create unifying interpretative layer . If you really want to know who I am , listen to my story.
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