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Feudamonia t1_j79f8ck wrote

Reply to comment by favouritemistake in Political views can be predicted by differences in brain activity. Study says political differences don’t just emerge when it comes to how we interpret reality around us; our brains actually ‘see’ different things depending on our politics. by mossadnik

It's about understanding the difference between the mind and the brain.

Think of it like a train and its cargo. The tracks, the engine and the boxcars take the cargo from station to station. You can change the train by swapping out the engine, changing the order or location of stations and still deliver the same cargo. Alternatively you can have identical trains travelling the same route yet carry different cargo.

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favouritemistake t1_j79gcyq wrote

I don’t totally get your analogy but I’m aware of the difference between mind and brain. I said the brain changes, not the mind. Beyond just the brain, yes, the rest of the nervous system changes too.

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Feudamonia t1_j79jg85 wrote

But the brain doesn't change when you change your beliefs, and neither does the nervous system. We can see different neural activity but the mechanism that creates that activity doesn't change.

Imagine the brain is a DJ's beat box. Different thinking would be like a different song being played but the beat box doesn't change.

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favouritemistake t1_j79tzdc wrote

It can change on a structural level through learning; why would learning beliefs be any different? (Over time through repetition, not a one-off thought causing permanent changes.)

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-brain-plasticity-2794886#toc-types-of-neuroplasticity

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Feudamonia t1_j79xw9r wrote

Now you're talking about a different kind of neuroplasticity. Structural neuroplasticity encompasses the types of changes we see when new pathways are built like when you learn to ride a bike or learn a new language. The type of bike you learn to ride or the language you choose to learn won't make any physical difference to the brain; it's the learning of a new skill that causes the change, not the topic so to speak. If we don't continue to use the new skill the pathway is pruned.

Beliefs are different. We develop them from experiences and how we feel about them. They are the product of thought, not a physical thing.

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Feudamonia t1_j7a6urb wrote

I got a notification for a comment but can't seem to find it. Do you mind if I dm you?

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