Brain Quote by Michael Shermer
““Mind is just a word we use to describe neural activity in the brain. No brain, no mind. We know this because if a part of the brain is destroyed through stroke or cancer or injury or surgery, whatever that part of the brain was doing is now gone. If the damage occurs in early childhood when the brain is especially plastic, or in adulthood in certain parts of the brain that are conducive to rewiring, then that brain function—that “mind” part of the brain—may be rewired into another neural network in the brain. But this process just further reinforces the fact that without neural connections in the brain there is no mind.””
About This Quote
The mind is a product of neural activity; without a brain, there is no mind, and brain damage alters mental functions.
In simple terms: Mind depends on brain activity; damage changes it.
Key Takeaway
Protect brain health.
Themes
neuroscience
mind-body
plasticity
identity
Mood
scientific
neutral
Type
educational
informative
When to use this quote
- medical treatment
- rehabilitation
- education
- technology
Key Concepts
brain injury
neural rewiring
Questions to Reflect On
- How does plasticity aid recovery?
- Can consciousness exist without a brain?
A Different Perspective
Mind may persist despite damage.
![“One of the ideas that runs through this book [Lincoln in the Bardo] is this Buddhist notion that the mind is incredibly powerful; not the brain but the mind.” quote by George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e6e/george-saunders-317_book_one-of-the-ideas-that-runs-through-this_98166.jpg)
