The Power of Ideas and the Human Psyche
Ideas constitute a very powerful pole of human existence. Through them, human beings choice of action becomes informed and can be deliberate. The origin of our faculty to contemplate ideas remains mysterious, and philosophers have grappled for ages over the true nature of ideas themselves. What are they? Where do they come from? While simple questions and despite many attempts, answers have tended to elude us.
In seeking a better understanding of ideas besides simply categorizing them as mere linguistic concepts or vainly positing the lack, if any, of substantiality, perhaps the correct path would be to examine the role of ideas in relation to other aspects of human experience. Examining organic life in general, we can see quite easily that less evolved species rely most commonly on engrained behaviors, as opposed to conscious action. Some of these are genetic, while others are habitual. The least complex life forms rely almost, if not completely, on genetically acquired behaviors. At this stage, adaptation to the vicissitudes of life is difficult, cumbersome and slow, putting them at an overall disadvantage in the contest of life compared to more adaptive organisms. The survival of the fittest leads at some point to organisms possessing not only a genetic memory but also a mental memory.
Since mental memory is an outgrowth of genetic memory, they are functionally interdependent faculties. The most fundamental mental memories share much in common with the character of genetic memories and are largely static and unvarying. They exist without language and are irresistible – akin to laws of nature. But the ball had started rolling and now existence would continuously push towards more and more improvements in mental adaptation to environmental resistance. Yet, this is not an absolute good, genetic adaptation, in virtue of being slow and laborious, provides a much higher likelihood that adaptations will prove advantageous and efficient in the long-run. So as the bounds of mental memory stretch farther and farther beyond its origin in genetic memory, as more and more conscious choice is allowed, possibilities for mis-adaptation drastically increase.
In the hopes of minimizing the damage of choice, superior memories develop that collect with particularity more intense and more focused stimuli. Those stimuli more likely to preserve life receive more attention, while those less likely to preserve life are minimized. Brains begin to have the ability to remember more, the ability to filter more, and the ability to contemplate more at once. The improvements ultimately have led in some cases to a variety of conscious experience.
To be continued…