research paper intro

Marc Anthony Novillo

Exposition & Argument

Erin Kelly

November 15, 2016

Research Paper Intro

            Where is the sole place on Earth is it possible that the unknown becomes the known, the unusual becomes the usual, and the odd becomes the norm? The power of the mind is one of the most beautiful, complex, interesting and fascinating processes known to mankind, where it is indeed possible for the fantastical to exist. The mind is an extremely powerful agent against the evils of reality such that it is built with defense mechanisms that encourage the formation of such outlandish yet comforting strands of a story. These stories are put together by our minds in an attempt to escape the fears and anxieties of the here and now. The brain can be rewired to perform these processes, so much so that the senses can be enhanced when approached with physical trauma such as blindness. “The Mind’s Eye,” by Oliver Sacks, details how the brain physically rewires itself to compensate for blindness, exemplifying the physiological and biological feats the brain can perform in order to remain at full potential. Similarly, Robert Thurman’s “Wisdom” discusses the importance of being open to the ever-changing environment and allowing for experience to mold one into a specific “self.” This molding is one of many rewiring techniques of the brain, suggesting a certain plasticity evident in the minds and brains of everyone, assuming the person has a healthy and normal brain. Plasticity, rewiring, and molding all contribute to the manner in which humans biologically cope dissociatively, as mentioned in “When I Woke Up Tuesday Morning, It Was Friday,” by Martha Stout. The idea of a divided consciousness is present in everyone who has experienced trauma at some point in their lives. Divided consciousness, the separation of mind from reality, allows for a temporary state of imagination where all is typically okay, and this serves as the basis of an example of how humans cope with trauma and issues such as stress, emotional damage, mental challenges, etc. The mind is an escape route, the mind presents an opportunity to step out of reality and enter a realm of bliss and eternal possibilities. With that, the deep inner minds of people are reflections of the true self, the true person a human is but will never be understood. The deep inner mind is the best escape route from all things painful, but is also the cause of phenomenal interactions between human and human that are just as complex as the brains that motivate said interactions.