Catholic Scientist writes:
But really, the body is what you are, and the mind is something that develops within it. Without the "you-that-is-in-your-mind", you would still function as an ape bumbling around looking for food and mates. Its only after you self-reflect, that there seems to be some problem between the "you-that-is-in-your-mind" and the body that it only superficially seems to be in control of.
That's pretty much how I've always thought about it.
Sometimes I call the "ape bumbling around looking for food and mates" to be our base intincts... things that are there, and have been there in many of our ancestors for millions of years.
Then the "you-that-is-in-your-mind" is more our intelligence. The part of us that allows reflection, and can also allow us to override our instincts (as defined above), if we are fast enough (quick minded-enough) in order to reflect upon the instinct and "catch it" before it's fully processed and the action is completed.
Perhaps there's room for some future evolution here, even.
Maybe one day, people will have a conscious mind that is actually on the same level, or even replacing their sub-conscious instinctual brain-area. This would greatly help in the control of things like fear and acting in anger/passion.
Likely, some people's consciousness is stronger/faster at controlling these instinctual abilities right now. Not only does it seem somewhat genetic, but it's also an ability that can be improved upon and we can learn to be better at it with training. Can we be taught it completely if it wasn't there in the first place? I don't know...
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