The Brain, A Decoded Enigma Part 23

3. s.e.xual attraction can be strongly discouraged by the existence of a prediction that describes exactly what is going to happen during an explicit s.e.xual interaction. From here results that a 'symbolic couple' needs to invent, if possible, everyday new ways of s.e.xual interaction. Also, when routine appears (the prediction is confirmed too precisely), the couple breaks-up to avoid unsolvable stresses.

These things can be already met in the world we live in, especially in the most 'symbolic' countries (the most advanced from the economic, technical and scientific point of view).

The theory predicts the continuing changes of our s.e.xual 'ways' based on the general shift from image to symbolic models. However, due to fundamentalist reactions (rejection of symbolic models of a large fraction of the population), the s.e.xual life of those attained by fundamentalism is affected.

For 'symbolic' people, s.e.xual activity can contribute to everyday happiness only if the partners are on the same level of 'symbolic' development.

There is a problem a.s.sociated with the actual phase of brain development a.s.sociated with s.e.xual activity. Thus, several instincts are included in PSM, which are a.s.sociated with s.e.xual behaviour, too. These instincts will block for instance the tendencies towards h.o.m.os.e.xuality, incest and pedophily. The evolution of the brain to symbolic models results also in the reduction in importance of the instincts with negative consequences, at least in a transient phase.

Thus, the speed of diminishing the importance of instincts is different from the speed of evolution towards symbolic models.

The protection structure based on symbolic models would predict the long-term effects of a s.e.xual decision. When a prediction shows a negative effect, the decision is to avoid such activities. This method should replace the method based on instincts situated in the PSM.

At this point, we are in a relatively dangerous transient phase. The protection structure based on symbolic models is not implemented yet, while the protection system based on the instincts is less and less efficient.

On very long range (i.e. over hundred years from now) the whole protection structure will be implemented based on symbolic models. This means that any s.e.xual activity will be conditioned by the predictions on symbolic models. The normal s.e.xual behaviour, in 100 years from now, will be very different from today.

It is very likely that this prediction will be confirmed for the symbolic countries. For the 'image' countries, due to fundamentalism, one can a.s.sume that a fraction of the population, at least, will turn back to the protection system based on instincts. It is very difficult to evaluate the global effect of the mentioned behaviour on these countries.

ETA 33: The internal body

MDT is a.s.sociated with the main brain which, among other functions, controls also the external body (hands, legs, etc). For the internal body (internal organs...), there is an extra brain, which is a technological process brain. This process brain contains basically an image model of the whole internal body (its external reality contains the whole internal body). Its scope is to maintain the stability of the whole internal body. When a perturbation occurs, a model will simulate one or several solutions, in order to regain the equilibrium.

There is a connection between the main brain and the process brain, as it can be seen experimentally. Thus, a bad psychological state (many unfavourable predictions) can produce perturbations in the functions of the internal organs. The inverse influence also exists: a healthy psychological structure can improve the general health.

Situations exist when several perturbations appear among the systems of the internal body. In a complex situation, the model cannot understand anymore what happened, due to the too complex structure. Some nonconventional medical treaments exist, which can be used to control such situations.

MDT is not very much preoccupied with this problem, as extremely many factors exist, a.s.sociated to the technological implementation of the whole being. This section wanted only to show that the functioning of the internal body is controlled by a technological process brain, which works in the same way as the main brain. The process brain is dedicated to the construction of a reality a.s.sociated to our internal body, which represents its external reality.

ETA 34: The European spirit

The theory and the applications are a.s.sociated mainly to the European cultural s.p.a.ce. Europe is a cultural environment where the extensive development of civilization was achieved based on symbolic models, a.s.sociated or not to image models.

Except geometry (created in a s.p.a.ce in close communication with the European cultural s.p.a.ce), Europeans have created the great fundamental models. We are talking here about Christianity, open sea navigation, the heliocentric model of the Universe, polyphonic music, Newton's Mechanics, Quantum Mechanics and Relativity theory.

Let's evaluate the European spirit based on some of these models.

The Roman Empire has been created through conquest, but wherever the Romans got, they created efficient organisation structures, which have been in favour of the conquered people too. Thus, Romans have been both conquerors and civilisators. This characteristic in the way of thinking is a permanent feature of Europeans up to our time. Thus, the large colonial empires did not bring colonisation of Europe with slaves. Independent of the injustice to the colonies, when leaving them, they were left in a good or very good general shape, e.g. Hong Kong. Nowadays, the European Union spends a lot of money earned by European work, to civilise Eastern Europe.

Europeans created Christianity for Europeans. This is why the Christian religion is tolerant and has reduced tendencies towards fanatism.

A significant number of facts show that Europeans have an adventurous spirit (Marco Polo, Columbus, Magellan etc.) The spirit of adventure is a.s.sociated closely with the desire of knowledge, the search for new ways of evolution, and the need to a.n.a.lyze everything, and never accept an invariant situation.

An example exists connected with the heliocentric model of the Universe. From Antiquity, everybody knew that Earth is the center of the Universe. This was proved by direct everyday experience and, at least, implicitly, by the Holy Bible. The scholars of Antiquity have left us precise methods of calculation for eclipses of the Sun and the Moon, and data on the ecliptic, and as a consequence on the position of the Equator and the Tropics. Then, why after year 1500, some Europeans did consider that something was fishy about the geocentric model of the Universe?

There was a small problem; from the billions of stars, seven had an apparently chaotic movement. The Ancient Greeks have called them rambling stars or planets. The European spirit could not accept this. Nikolaus Copernicus published in the last year of his life the heliocentric theory of the Universe. It was for the first time when the European spirit and Christian religion clashed. Giordano Bruno, a great European, has payed with his death the sustaining of the idea of the Earth not being the center of the Universe, and Galileo Galilei had to be humiliated to survive.

But, surprise! Kepler verified Copernicus' theory and discovered that it is wrong (the positions calculated for the planets did not correspond to the experimental data). Kepler was not discouraged and he discovered that, if the orbits were to be ellyptical, and not circular as said by Copernicus, then, the calculations could be compatible with the experimental data. Later, Newton was able to find the explanation of this situation.

The problem was solved beyond any doubt in the favour of the European spirit. After many centuries, the Christian Church admitted officially the situation and rehabilitated Galileo Galilei, but not Giordano Bruno.

The above considerations suggest the essence of the European spirit: liberalism and tolerance, the desire for knowledge and the tendency to adventure.

We will say a few words about a new issue. It appears now, that a European Const.i.tution is to be written. The problem is a.s.sociated with the protests of the Christian Church generated by the non-inclusion in the Const.i.tution draft of a phrase on the Christian origin of the European civilisation. As we have seen above, Europeans have created Christianity for Europeans. In spite of this, in many cases the European spirit clashed violently with the Christian spirit. The main reason is connected to the dynamism a.s.sociated with the European spirit, which cannot accept an invariant model (religion).

The European spirit always was victorious, but the Christian Church did not succeed to evolve fast enough to sustain always the European spirit. The Church doesn't seem to have learned anything along the centuries, if, even nowadays, it opposes the European spirit in problems like the same-s.e.x marriages, abortion or accepting women as priests. Thus, there is, up to a point, a justification to the decision not to include in the European Const.i.tution the reference to Christianity.

We need to note that accepting same-s.e.x marriages is not, in principle, a good thing, and I believe that many Europeans have this point of view. However, the European liberal and tolerant spirit states that, pa.s.sing over any pros and cons, there should not exist, in principle, any authority to oppose to the wish of the people to search and experiment new ways of life together. European h.o.m.os.e.xuals are Europeans, and have the right to live their life as they consider it right.

Note: The fact that the Christian Church, created by Europeans for Europeans, has come at times into violent conflict with the European spirit, does not mean at all that it is a non-European Church. During the 2000 years of Christianity, the Christian Church had a very positive role in keeping the stability of the world, and gave hope to a lot of people. Leaving faith behind, created monsters (e.g. Communism). This section wants only to show to the Church, that it should be more flexible and, independent of its great merits, avoid to get into conflict with the European spirit. The European spirit has always been victorious and will always win any battle with the Christian spirit.

Let's follow however some facts. The first fundamental symbolic model is Euclid's geometry. It was created about the year 300 BC and is unmodified up to our days. The scolars of the period left us a huge amount of scientific data kept in large libraries of the Antiquity. At 415 AD, the Christian leaders destroyed the great library of Alexandria, because the books have been considered contrary to the Christian religion.

The result was that scientific knowledge has been completely destroyed for a very long time (the European civilization entered in the Dark Ages), so that the next fundamental symbolic model (Newton) appeared over 2000 years after Euclid! It is clear that the Christian Church had an active role in this unacceptable big delay, by the destruction of the books and blocking freethinking. However, it is not clear that this delay was caused by the emergence of the monotheist Christian religion or it is a.s.sociated with a characteristic of the development of the brain. I mean, any monotheist religion wants the control of the thinking system of the people. The main problem is if the people accept this, or not. The Christian Church used to keep up to fifty years ago a list of forbidden books and ideas, but very few people take it in consideration. The general problem is still open.

The evolution towards symbolic models reduces more and more the influence of religion on society, and this can be seen in the increase in the number of those who ignore religion.

Many people, who deny the existence of G.o.d, are consideres 'atheist'. However, this term has another meaning, closer to its initial meaning, given by the ancient Greek, i.e. a person who can live without the help of G.o.d. We denote this term by "atheist-2" and we a.s.sociate this definition to it: a person who can live without the help of G.o.d, without any other specifications. An atheist-2 could e.g. not deny the existence of G.o.d, but he doesn't need Him to live normally in a European-type society. This also means that an atheist-2 can enter any religious site (Christian or not) and respect the site, faith and the believers. This has been mostly the European spirit of all times.

One of the tendencies of Europeans, in accordance with the European spirit, has been to be atheist-2 (an effect of the liberalism and tolerance), but only lately, as an effect of the increase of the power of symbolic models, this shows, including in the statistical data. This tendency will grow and it will depend only on the Christian Church to change, and accept the atheist-2 as they are.

Europe has another problem: it started the most destructive wars of the 20th century and created horrible ideologies: n.a.z.ism and Communism. The wars, n.a.z.ism and Communism can be a.s.sociated to the adventurous spirit specific to Europeans, but contradict liberalism and tolerance. The Europeans wars appeared when the relative importance of the 4 factors has been distorted. Thus, those who started the wars, those who applied the n.a.z.i and Communist principles have departed from the European spirit. There will always be a high risk for Europe, when this spirit is distorted.

Let's see, for evaluation purpose, Europe's relationship with its main 'compet.i.tor', USA. The Europeans, who have formed mainly the population of USA, have been the Europeans with a strong tendency to action (they have been building easily ZAMs and AZM and they have been eager to activate them).

This explains the power and efficiency of the American society, but also the weaknesses of the USA (does not 'produce' top personalities and needs to 'import' them). This also explains the very high level of XS1-type schizophrenia in the American society.

As we know, in a stable and efficient society, the tendency exists to build suitable models to each problem. The Americans consider generally that there is only one optimal way to solve a problem. The specialists will find this optimal solution and will impose it to everybody. Thus the population reacts suitably to any problem.

However the price for efficiency is XS1-type schizophrenia; if the situation is changed, the people have no suitable solutions anymore, and they are blocked as they are not prepared to build on their own new models in front of a new changing reality (this problem has been presented in several other ETAs). From here emerge the differences between the two cultural environments, the European and the American ones.

Example: In any country, included USA, there is a white line in front of any traffic light. If the traffic light changes to red and somebody stops after pa.s.sing the line by 10-cm e.g., this is illegal in the USA and the driver is called in court. In Europe this 'illegality' produces at most smiles. Europeans will never accept 'perfection'.

The American success is given by perfection, and perfection is in contradiction with creativity and the European spirit. The European spirit is knowledge oriented, while the American perfectionist spirit is goal-oriented.

Let's see some examples of the compet.i.tion between Europe and USA.

In Civil Aviation, the Europeans came to sell more planes than the Americans do. This shows that the European spirit is efficient in the more and more symbolic world we live in.

In Nuclear Physics, Europeans have discovered two subnuclear particles, "W" and "Z" (n.o.bel Prize), when the Americans had the needed equipment (high- energy particle accelerators), but did not do the necessary experiment. The Europeans continue to be creative and efficient.

Let's see the reverse as well. The Europeans wanted to build a fighter-plane, to compete the US ones. Then they discovered that they haven't got the technology to make it 'invisible', haven't got enough money to build it and haven't got the background infrastructure to support this weapon system. Even the navigation system (GPS) is American. This is an example of the European adventurous spirit. This spirit can be seen in the building of the A380 (the biggest airliner in the world). We will see in a few years the result of the compet.i.tion between the American perfectionism and the European spirit.

We have situations when perfectionism is in conflict with the European tolerance (the Americans are less tolerant than Europeans). The result is that in a few crucial problems of the long-range evolution of the society, the Europeans have a slightly reduced capacity of understanding what is going on.

E.g. in the Irakian problem, the European tolerant spirit produced a different reaction than the USA. I think that many Europeans are convinced that terrorism cannot be fought by dialogue, but their tolerant spirit made them sustain that. Here the Europeans have problems, which will grow along with the evolution of the society. The Europeans have no principial solution, as, actually, the Americans haven't either.

Let's summarize the European spirit.