6%-10%????

less...more....

what do you think it would be like if we could use 100%

or is the large percent of non-use just a brain "failsafe"

If you mean in observation, thought, and sentient processes, I would have to say it's much higher than that.

I would also add that we have "all" of our brain for a reason (sympathetic nervous system, smooth muscle function, cardiac regulation, etc.) and the brain keeps it all in tune.

Also, there is a considerable amount of evidence showing that he brain and its synapses regenerate, and adapt to strengthen areas of the brain that are used the most.  

Quoted: If you mean in observation, thought, and sentient processes, I would have to say it's much higher than that. I would also add that we have "all" of our brain for a reason (sympathetic nervous system, smooth muscle function, cardiac regulation, etc.) and the brain keeps it all in tune.

Exactly.

It's not like the rest isn't used, it's just not used for concious thought.

Im talking about the old wives tale of using 8% you hear about as a kid....

Judging by some of the posts around here lately, not very much……………………..

Quoted: Judging by some of the posts around here lately, not very much……………………..

+3.5%

Quoted: Im talking about the old wives tale of using 8% you hear about as a kid....

Way more than that.  Even "if" Einstein used only 15%, I doubt mere mortals use any less than 12%.  But how are we to measure it?  What if one person's use of his brain is more creative, and another's is analytical?

Better yet, is the analytical brain were measured against a someone who did physical labor, they are controlling different areas of the body, yet they are still performing work.  I don't believe for a minute that a laborer is using less brain than a librarian.

I probably use less than one percent of mine............just ask my wife

You use all of it. Parts of it are being used for basic functions that you don't think about (digesting food, heart rate, crap like that).

Some people just use theirs better than others.

Depends on what state you're from.

ex: Massachussetts.... they elect Kennedy and Kerry everytime.....3%
     Texas......... Great BBQ and good gun laws.........................70%
     


It's based on Geography really.







 

Nervous systems that aren't used die of atrophy. If you didn't use it, it wouldn't be there. Therefore, 100 percent is used.

But I will grant you that a lot of people here would lead you to believe that 94 percent of their cranium was completely empty.

It depends on if you are a liberal or not.  Liberals tend to use much less of their brains than conservatives.

We use all of our brains.  The thing about only using 10% of our brains is a myth.

I try and use all of it.  Brown it in a skillet with some butter, go from there.

I've never heard a scientifically reputable figure above 30 percent of brain mass being used, according to the results of research on the matter.


You've heard of savants.   They may not be able to tie their shoes but their mathematical skills (in their heads) are positively frightening,   or they can play any musical instrument
like a master but have never had one music lesson.      

There are parts of the brain that most of us don't have available to us,  and I think that
they represent enormous unused capacity reserves.   Some savants apparently have
access to areas of the brain that are normally closed off.

It would be amazing if we could learn how to turn on the unused sections at will.   And
it would be most amazing of all if we could learn to turn on centers of reasoning that
allow people to see for themselves what's REALLY a good idea and what's NOT such a
good idea.  

I believe that if people all had better cognitive skills across the board,  they'd live better
lives because they'd really have better judgement about everything.


CJ

we?
there is no u in we.
Cognative density is not a well understood parameter or science.

I mean, face it. I drink loads of beer and am I still way smarter than you. Yet, my total brain mass remains constant and I get even smarter/more opinionated.

87%

The common belief about people only using 10% of their brains comes from experiments done on mice decades ago, destroying tissue until behavior changed.

I'm sure the mice missed the parts they destroyed even if they were still eating and drinking and running on the wheel.

We use our whole brain, we don't have all our neurons firing at once but they all fire occasionally.

If you want to know what it's like to have more neurons firing at the same time drop some LSD, that's what it does.

The human mind is a very powerful thing, capable of far more than most people think, it's not so much a question of somehow unlocking dormant areas as learning to use it to its fullest capability.

Language is a barrier, words are a very inefficient means of forming thoughts, most peoples minds are very disorganized, the mind doesn't come with a manual, and we don't teach children how to think or to organize the mind.

Quoted: If you want to know what it's like to have more neurons firing at the same time drop some LSD, that's what it does.

Memories of fun times......