• Question: How do we think? How comes we can hear ourselves think?

    Asked by hiimsharon to Damien, Rachael, Simon, Suzi, Tim on 15 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Rachael Ward

      Rachael Ward answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi @hiimsharon

      Wow, how do we think is a great question and one that many many scientists, including Nobel prize winners have been asking for a long time! I’m afraid we dont really know exactly how we think or what consciousness is. We know the brain is necessary for thinking as people who’ve had brain injuries struggle to work things out and remember things. However, the brain is so complex, we may never know exactly how we think – which is quite crazy to think about itself!

      I can sort of “hear myself think” when I’m concentrating on something or typing this for example. However, I must think loads of things that I dont hear myself thinking – I just made a cup of tea and didnt hear myself thinking about doing it. Perhaps when you’re concentrating hard on words or thoughts it seems that you can also “hear” them? Do you agree?

      I hope this helps – sorry if i cant fully answer your question!

    • Photo: Suzi Gage

      Suzi Gage answered on 15 Jun 2011:

      Hi @hiimsharon
      Tough question indeed!

      I don’t know much about hearing us think, but I’m studying something called Psychosis, which is when people can mistake their thoughts for ‘voices in their head’ which tell them what to do.

      This is probably to do with some missing signal to let them know it’s their own thoughts they can hear.

      Sorry this doesn’t answer your question!

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