Our Brain and Our Sense of Self

Dr. Lovett’s lecture was very educational. One thing that I learned was the physiology of our brains. I always enjoy learning about new psychological aspects of our world and the way our brains are partitioned into different segments was really intriguing. I was surprised to learn that we do not you ten percent of our brains. That fact caught me off guard because it had always seemed like common knowledge that we don’t use all of our brains potential. Apparently this is not the case as many people would have you believe. Dr. Lovett explained how we constantly have neurons firing in our brain all our lives and we use a lot more than ten percent. The most interesting part of his lecture for me was the story of Phineas Gage. The railroad worker survived an accident in 1848 when a three foot iron rod went through the left side of his face and came out the top of his head. He survived the ordeal, but because of damage to his left frontal lope his personality shifted. He became an irritable man, lazy, and prone to fits of anger. This change in personality showed early neurologists how the front part of the brain controls personality.

This past week I have learned a lot about the brain, personality, memories, and how we define our sense of self. I used to view my ‘self’ as my entire body, everything mental and physical, and how I acted when alone or in public. I still believe all of these aspects of self are important, but now I put a lot more emphasis on the role of the brain. My brain controls everything I do and think, and if my brain is altered so is my entire sense of self. From now on I plan on always wearing a helmet whenever I play a dangerous sport because if I damage my brain, I can involuntarily change my personality, or lose some of my memories, or even lose my life. I have a newfound respect for my brain and the role it plays in my life.


Photograph of Phineas Gage and the rod that pierced his brain
Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phineas_Gage