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View Full Version : Society Shapes The Mind?



DReaver13
18th August 2004, 19:47
Objectivism sees the individual as shaping their own mind through reason and perception, grasping reality and finding out the facts of this reality. They do not accept that people should listen blindly to the judgements and thoughts of others without fully reasoning it out fro themselves.

However, doesn't this strike you as impossible? We simply cannot perform every scientific experiment known to man during our lifetimes. We depend on the ideas and conclusions of those who came before us. We rely on teachers to teach us these facts of reality. Almost our entire mind is made up of fragments of ideas from other people both alive, and long dead. Sure we think through some of it, but a lot of it we just accept.

What do you think? Are we the product of millions of thoughts and ideas from the outside world and our fellow members of human kind? Or are we the result of completely independent thought? Or a mix of the two?

Pedro Alonso Lopez
19th August 2004, 22:24
A mix of course, the mind develops and is developed by society at the same time.

antieverything
19th August 2004, 22:29
Philosophers of thought can wank away to their heart's content but they are still made insignificant by evolutionary psychology and cognitive science.

Our thought process is evolutionarily hard-wired. The ideas themselves, however, are socially constructed. We don't get to decide how we think...but society plays a role in what we think.

gaf
22nd August 2004, 19:18
when you get old you know it could/ can/have shape your minds.defend yourself be yourself
you may than stay yourself...but never forget you are not alone.

YKTMX
22nd August 2004, 19:54
Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2004, 10:29 PM
Philosophers of thought can wank away to their heart's content but they are still made insignificant by evolutionary psychology and cognitive science.

Our thought process is evolutionarily hard-wired. The ideas themselves, however, are socially constructed. We don't get to decide how we think...but society plays a role in what we think.
You should read "Alas, Poor Darwin" against EP. Very interesting.