Mind And The Brain Essay, Research Paper

To ask the question ?Is the mind a function of the brain?, you first have to understand that the mind and the brain are two separate entities. The brain is the most important organ of the human body. It controls everything from waking up in the morning to walking to class. The brain is the message center of the body, it tells the heart to expand and contract in order to circulate blood; and the diaphragm to move up and down so that you are able to breathe. Without the brain to send and receive these messages the mind would not be able to function, the person would not be able to think and make decisions.

The brain is made up of many parts each controlling an aspect of human behavior. An example is that the occipital lobe controls sensations you receive from visual stimuli, while the temporal lobe processes vibrations into recognizable sounds. The mind relies on the brain to function at this elementary level in order for the mind to combine these processes to govern thought, logic, and reasoning.

One process that can be examined is the comprehension of letters and words and the concept of reading. This process starts when the individual sees visual stimulus on a page. This information is transferred through the occipital lobe and therefore becomes discreet letters, words, and eventually sentences. The mind is now called upon to think about these words and to comprehend them. The mind, a now active participant in the

Thinking process understands the information that was given to the brain.

To finally answer the question, ?Is the mind a function of the brain?? I would have to say yes. In order for the mind to function properly, the brain must receive and process the information correctly. As shown in the example above the mind?s understanding of the words is a direct correlation of the brain functioning.