What exactly is “the Subconscious Mind”?

There seem to be various viewpoints on this. I’m wondering if it is possible to come to a consensus through discussion. Or maybe just a better understanding of differing individual viewpoints.


To answer my own question, I view the subconscious as a strictly stimulus-response mechanism that responds directly to environmental stimuli and which controls the “instinctual” behavior. This is in contrast to the “conscious” mind, which is under the control and direction of “me” and which stores information and performs calculations.

I'm confused as to why this falls under religion chat...

Because subconsciously he is recruiting you to his cult right now. LOL!!!!!!!

then shouldn't he have typed it backwards???

Yeah I guess so-maybe he is just learning-you must cooperate. LOL!

I think of it as a philosophical question, for which there is no better forum that I know of. Also, there are already a few threads in this forum that relate directly to the subconscious mind.

I guess I could have asked "What does your religion say about the "Subconscious Mind"? Or "How does religion relate to the subconscious mind." But it hardly matters as threads in this forum always go off in that direction anyway.

I'm not a religious person (though I do play one on TV), and I tend to place all psychological quantifications into the same category--they may be handy at times, but they do not stand for anything that's really... er, REAL.

Your mind is just your mind. It has different ways of functioning at different levels but IN MY OPINION (not trying to be disagreeable here) those classic divisions of consciousness are more barriers to real understanding of the mind's function than they are anything else. They were useful at one time, but no longer are. yours in Chaos, Scarlett

I'm not sure I understand that. To me, it is a matter of taking a large, complex mechnism and dividing it up into its component sub-systems to reduce the complexity and make it easier to understand as a whole. So help me understand how/why that creates barriers to understanding.

Religions falls under the heading of theology, which falls under the heading of philosophy. Philosophy is often the beginning of scientific theory AND

Since there is no science or philosophy topic, we make due with the religious heading.

Just thought I'd clarify that.

gotta go, lots to read and reply to.

I think, Oh ya that's it, I think, Oh ya that's, I think, Oh ya that's it,...............

huh?

If the mind was a machine or organ that would be a valid point--however, it is not. In what part of the body, or in what location in physical space, does "mind" reside?

I tend to make a division between "brain" (the mechanism) and "mind" (the thing that is fed into and perhaps drives the mechanism, and also is produced or enhanced by it--like the corn that goes into the still, and the whiskey that comes out; they are the same thing but in changed form, if you see what I'm sayin).

If the brain is damaged, does the mind no longer exist? Do creatures with smaller and less complex brains have a mind?

If there is no way we can be absolutely sure of the answers to these, then I would say that differentiating between the mechanism and thing processed by the mechanism is valid.

I wouldn't say that calling a particular process of thought "subconscious" is a huge error; it's just a more primitive way (again IN MY OPINION! LOL!) of perceiving the process. I mean, people spend thousands of dollars and years learning about these terms, and I realize that for some jerk like me to come along and call them invalid is going to be upsetting, but you did ask! And I offered my opinion in a candid way.

Physics used to suppose that gravity was the most important force in the universe, and that gravity caused all things to move and stay put, etc. Mr. Einstein made a number of interesting observations about gravity that sort of shook that idea up, but didn't completely destroy it. Physicists now are aware that gravity is a bit player in the "forces of the universe" scenario, and that there are different types of gravity, and so on.

I think the same can be said of the forces in our own private universes, i.e., our bodies and our minds. The term "subconscious" is a handy term but is misleading and incomplete in light of further knowledge. xoxoxo

I believe it is the Spirit of Yahweh trying to let you know when something is wrong or you are doing wrong. I know anytime throughout my life when i was getting ready to do it my subsconciuos mind would be saying no do not do it. Then again I can be within 2o ft of someone and it will tell me they need help or they are evil. I believe when someone looses that part of them is when they have no remorse and do horrible acts to people without a 2nd thought. To where you or me our mind will not allow us to do it.. Blessings...Miles

Without knowing what the “further knowledge” you’re referring to is, I cannot relate it to anything either of us has said.

But I don’t think we’re too terribly far apart in our views.

I too think of the brain and the mind as two very separate things. IMO the brain really has nothing to do with “mind” at all. At least not any more than does the heart or the liver or the appendix or the big toe.

However I do believe there are intrinsic differences between 1) an autonomic response to a stimulus, 2) a reasoned evaluation, and 3) a self-determined decision.

[edit: The entire purpose of this thread was to find out about any "further knowledge" that anyone else might have on the subject. ]

With all current Science/Psychology knowledge of the concept of the "Subconscious Mind" at our disposal via the web, its clear that we can systematically answer thousands of questions from the perspective of the physical Universe.

It is my understanding that all of these descriptions are equally valid (with one another and with developing ideas).

I believe that there's another dimension to the Subconscious Mind that works in accord with all others, but adds the dimension of communication. Communication that, if fully tapped, could have our minds operating at Far Far closer to capacity, rather than 10 to 20 percent.

The very foundation of science (the deterministic nature of the universe) means that the only questions that can be anserwed from the perspective of the physical universe are the purely stimulus-response phenomena. From that perspective, it is impossible for science to answer anything about self-determined causation. (Denying its existence doesn't answer anything.)

If you're talking about communication being independent of the laws of nature/physics, then I would agree.

Yes... I am talking about communication being independent of the "laws" of nature/physics.

Check it out ->

Now they're finding that the brain structure, the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), operates figuring out things without necessarily having to be consciously aware of it (Like a 6th Sense). They believe they've isolated it to an area of the brain.

Personally, I like to think of it like an antenna.


http://www.five.tv/programmes/psychicchallenge/factsandtheories/

This is an interesting topic which is sure to bring plenty of responses...

To me...

The subconscious mind is an always changing and fluid personal state of affairs. Everything of which I have been exposed, but am not thinking. All things past perceived and yet perhaps forgotten. Events and definitions of those such events which have been internalized as the foundation of my learning.

Everything which I involuntarily feel, think, remember, want, and do without having to consciously think about it. Those things which affect my perceptual capabilities without my knowledge of their existence within me.

That just about sums up my point of view...

A necessary function of the body. Completely self contained.

Oh yeah!!! lol

And the wellspring of personal freedom, should one dare to pursue it...

In another post, I likened the Subconscious Mind as being like a phone cord to greater "knowing"... wisdom. Like a link to an unseen realm (other dimension) where our higher self lives as a counter-part.