[Buddha-l] neuroscience: neural plasticity

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

Joy Vriens schreef:
>>> I am not sure emotions are afflictive in themselves and even if   
>>> they are I am not sure that not having them would be better. 
>>>       
>  
>   
>> There have already been a number of discussions (in the Buddhist/  
>> Science dialogues with HHDL for example) on this very topic. For   
>> example, see: 
>>     
>
>   
>> http://snipurl.com/1mpb7 
>>     
>
> "From Publishers Weekly 
> In May 2001, in a laboratory at the University of Wisconsin, a Tibetan Buddhist monk donned a cap studded with hundreds of sensors that were connected to a state-of-the-art EEG, a brain-scanning device capable of recording changes in his brain with speed and precision. When the monk began meditating in a way that was designed to generate compassion, the sensors registered a dramatic shift to a state of great joy. "The very act of concern for others' well-being, it seems, creates a greater state of well-being within oneself," writes bestselling author Goleman."
>
> Well, I find this amazing. How can one develop a great state of joy from the generation of compassion? Let's take a concrete example, the terrible situation in Dafur. How can the monk move from compassion to a great state of joy, "a greater state of well-being within oneself". Emotions are meant to motivate one, to push one to act in situations that require action. In this case, not only does the generation of compassion not lead to action, but it even creates a greater state of well-being within oneself? If the monk had really generated compassion, he would have pulled off the hudreds of sensors from his skull, jumped of his seat and caught the first plane to Darfur. Just for clarity (in case it weren't obvious already) I am just one who talks the talk without walking the walk. :-)
>
> Joy
>
>   
Maybe the description of the experiment is not complete, but the way it 
looks from here it does not  seem very scientific. First of all one case 
is not conclusive (maybe this monk is the only one in the world) and 
secondly it doesn't say what the EEG would have been if the monk had 
meditated on a bag of potatoes or a soccermatch. I remember that the 
effectiveness of transcendental meditational mantras was proved this way.
 From a day to day point of view some of the brain experiments are very 
disappointing. All people know the feeling of contentment that arises 
from having performed a good deed. Nobody needs a brainspecialist to 
tell her that (if you do maybe then you need one). And the drive to help 
members from the same group even exists in some animals. It's an 
instinct and it helps survival of the tribe. So where's the compassion?
Or does it mean that compassion doesn't exist and we act like we care 
because it feels so good?



-- 

Erik


www.xs4all.nl/~jehms
weblog http://www.volkskrantblog.nl/pub/blogs/blog.php?uid=2950
products: http://stores.lulu.com/jehmsstudio