A Simple Mind Model

Human beings are not equal due to differences in genetics and climate (nature) and also culture and education (nurture).

There are however fundamental aspects we all have in common: we are build of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; we have the same organs and senses; we have the capacity to sense, feel, think, model our environment, and to learn.

We perceive our environment with our senses.

Perceptions, on the one hand, are rationalized (knowledge, memory, action), but also translated into sentiments (hunger, fear, desire) that demand actions.

On many occasions, the action requested by our reasoning may conflict with actions required by sentiments (fight or flight). This leads to an inner, more or less conscious, conflict, a tremendous battle fought within our body and mind.

No matter how reasonable we want to appear, suppressed sentiments surface nevertheless either as physical (psychosomatic) or psychological disturbances.

On the extreme spectrum, unconscious conflict may result in more or less severe mental illnesses (starting with anxiety and traversing the spectrum toward schizophrenia).

A step toward avoiding grave symptoms is to make oneself aware of the unconscious conflict between reason and feeling.

Know myself, know thyself.