Pukyong National University

"Repeat and repeat, then your brain will remember things unconsciously."
62th Pukyong CEO Happy Humanities Concert, Professor Kang Min-sik(2)

You think I know well about my mind because I am the master?

There is nothing to say, but pardon.

Psychologist Professor Kim Min-sik (Yonsei University) says, "It may be more accurate for others to see me than I see myself."

What I do not really know is my own mind! Therefore, from now on, I should doubt 'my heart' for more accurate judgment!

Professor Kim gave a lecture on the theme of "A comparative mind, a mistaken mind" at the 62th Concert of Pukyong CEO's Happiness Humanities Concert held at Somin hall of Pukyong National University.

Professor Kim showed the video on the stage screen. (Experimental Scene of Professor Daniel Simons, University of Illinois)

In the video, 8 students (4 in white, 4 in black cloth) were playing ball games with people dressed in the same color. Professor Kim asked his audience to 'clap as hard as possible when people in white are exchanged'.

Could it have been a minute? People applauded hard during that time.

Then Kim asked. Have you noticed a student who dressed in a black gorilla pass by among the ball-playing students?

what? There was a gorilla!

Half of the audience doubted their eyes, that they did not see the gorilla.

Why did not they see the gorilla even though their eyes opened?

I know everything if I see - Delusion

Professor Kim said, "Our mind is the process of processing information, but in order to be conscious, choice is essential." Therefore, it is a mistake to know everything if you look. "

This scene resembles the Avatamska Sutra's "All-in-One Heart". Everything is a heart.

In particular, Professor Kim said that the mind is an information process that processes in the brain, but only a part of the processed information is conscious and most of the information is processed unconsciously. So we cannot be conscious of much, even though our brain has processed it.

We do not know consciously, but the brain knows the moment. That is unconscious memory, and implicit memory. Professor Kim said, "The area of the brain responsible for unconscious memory (tacit memories) and learning is much larger than conscious memory (external memory). The conscious memory drops when it gets older, but the unconscious memory does not get older."

Professor Kim said, "The area of the brain responsible for unconscious memory (tacit memories) and learning is much larger than conscious memory (external memory). The conscious memory drops when it gets older, but the unconscious memory does not get older. "

So, Professor Kim said, "Connected to unconscious memories is" habit "." Effective learning has nothing to do with conscious effort. Repetitive experience is important. " It is the same that you cannot play golf even if you memorize every golf book.

Even if your head is bad, how much comfort is it that you can accomplish what you want if you "habitually and steadily repeat something". Whether it is a movement or a foreign language.

That's the saying, "The tedious repetition of each day makes greatness."

Professor Kim said, "I do not know, but the brain makes its own decisions." The remarks are clear when it comes to playing sports or musical instruments.

Brain under delusion

Professor Kim explained how many errors when our brain makes judgement through various empirical cases.

A representative example is 'Split Brain'. It is the brain of a patient who has severed the epileptic cord connecting the right and left brain to prevent the epileptic seizure from spreading to the other side of the brain. These patients will not be able to explain what the right brain has seen in the left brain (the speech center).

According to Professor Kim, as in the case of optical illusion, our brain sees the world relatively, not just as it is. What we see and think is influenced by the context of the present and past experiences. It also depends on the experience of the brain and the environment in which the brain is located.

Professor Kim said, "You should know that people can see the same thing differently, and you make different judgments based on what kind of information you choose, such as candlelight vigils or Taegeukgi rallies, or what experience you have."

Professor Kim said, "Seeing, thinking, remembering, judging, the mind can be variable, relative, and irrational. In many cases, it helps to keep the background knowledge alive, but because of the background knowledge, it can be misleading or you may not be able to see things objectively."

Particulary he emphasized that, "Humans are 'active' information processors, we also creates information that is not present, does not perceive what it is, we influenced by surrounding information, and transforms and compresses it." He wants to say that there are a lot of errors.

Because of the relativity of the mind, 'happiness' is also relative thing.

Professor Kim said "Happiness = consumption / desire" in the words of economist Paul Samuelson (USA 1915~2000). It is a secret of happiness to reduce desire because it can not infinitely expand consumption.

How to have a wise mind

What kind of effort do you usually need in order to have wise judgment and a wise mind while living with the heart of this terrible spirit?
 
Professor Kim first said, "The habit of scientific thinking."

Because our brains tend to selectively accept what we want to believe, judging things by common sense, intuition, or authority rather than science is susceptible to errors such as contradictory, subjective, and unscientific.

Kim also stressed the importance of healthy habits,

"It's a habit to be stronger than you think. Our minds are weak and often irrational. It is important to learn healthy habits rather than rely on your mind. " As we have seen, habits and learning that determine our behavior are mostly formed unconsciously through experience.

Next, Professor Kim said, 'Understanding relativity of mind'. Considering the fact that there is relativity in the mind, it helps to make good judgment (efficient information processing) in most situations.
 
Finally, Professor Kim said, "We should see things in space as well as at the cellular level. We need various perspectives and an open attitude to look things. " <Pukyong Today>


△ Professor Kim Min-sik is giving a lecture. Ⓒ Photo Lee Sung-jae (PR team)