Dr David McGrath

Spine Physician

MB BS (Hons) FAFOM, RACP, FAFMM
Master of Pain Medicine

There are several dimensions which are responsible for the phenomenon of mind.

1.Sufficient Input and Output channels, such as, Dedicated Sensory and Motor Components
2.Multiple Sources of Disturbance are present, such as, Internal,Social and General Environmental
3.Internal and External Control pathways can be generated,allowing Boundary control,Social Cooperation and Closed Loops.
4.Structural Plasticity. The Components can change their properties such as ,strengh of connectedness,with each novel and repeat disturbance.

These are the basic requirements for a structure supporting a mind.
I have developed a disturbance regulation model of mind which can dowloaded as an ebook (soon to be published) for a nominal cost. It helps explain most of the phenomena we experience when we talk about mind. It also clarifies some of the potential of mind. Most importantly, readers are not lost in endless detail about neurology, which misses the point. The mind can be explained with a straightfoward disturbance control model.Complex philosophy arguments or detailed neurology is not necessary. It is a clear cut model, based upon common observations and known biology.

Here is the type of phenomena to be explained (no particular order)
1. I walk into the bathroom to clean my teeth, and pick up a hair comb
2. I hear a rustle, and imagine a tree leaf
3. A person beckons,with a hand gesture, and I find myself moving in that direction
4. I request my daughter pass an object, and find I am reaching simultaneously.
5. Food is digested without my knowledge
6. I observe a car approaching, and move back from the kerb
7. I observe myself scratching an itch
8. I see a friend and smile
9. I have a thought and my mood changes
10. My dreams can be bizarre
11. I catch myself "absent"
12. It can be difficult to turn off the stream of consciousness
13. I have never dreamt of something beyond my waking experience (albeit changed context)
14. I am creative first thing in the morning
15. I am not able to have two thoughts at the same time
16. One thought leads to another.
17. I can walk and think at the same time
18. I am able to concentrate on one sense
19. As I move new perceptions arise
20. I remember
21. My mood influences my perceptions and thoughts
22. I forget
23. One thought is followed by another
24. I can imagine
25. I can talk to myself and others.
26. I can learn new tricks
27. I don't know what I don't know, until it is pointed out.
28. I have a sense of boundary
29. I have a self image
30. I have a rudimentry conversation with my dog
31. I love what I understand
32. I sometimes understand that, which I inquire into.
33. I make a lot of mistakes.
34. When life is busy I become confused
35. I find myself repeating the same actions
36. When I am tired, I can hardly think at all
37. I seem to behave the same with multiple perceptions
38. I am more likely to recall recent events
39. In very quiet times, I recall events from early childhood
40. My sense of time varies considerably
41. My thoughts are highjacked by other thoughts
42. Some thoughts and perceptions are imbedded within a wider field of thoughts and perceptions
43. Some perceptions have no noticeable effects or consequant actions
44. My actions are frequently out of context, which I have only rarely observed in animals.
45. My dog can learn and memorize behaviour
46. My dog dreams
47. Pain intrudes upon my consciousness
48. I did not see, a certain event, until someone pointed it out.
49. I can walk and talk simultaneously.
50. I cannot ideate and talk sumultaneously.
51. I cannot observe and do simultaneously.